The Regional Press Awards for 2013 were handed out at the Lancaster Hotel in London at a ceremony attended by journalists from across the industry.
The full list of winners together with highly commended entrants was as follows.
YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Winner: Ben Leo – The Argus
Highly commended: Katy Hallam – Birmingham Mail, Anthony Joseph – Aberdeen Evening Express
BUSINESS AND FINANCE JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Winner: Ben Woods – Eastern Daily Press
Highly commended: Simon Bain – The Herald, Glasgow, Robin Johnson – Derby Telegraph
SPECIALIST WRITER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Jon Austin – Basildon/Southend Echo
Highly commended: Ciaran Barnes – Sunday Life
FEATURE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Lee Marlow – Leicester Mercury
Highly commended: Jayne Dawson – Yorkshire Evening Post
COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR
Winner: Sadie Hasler – The Echo, Basildon
Highly commended: Jim Crumley – The Courier, Dundee
BLOG OF THE YEAR
Winner: Peter Rhodes – Express & Star, Wolverhampton
WEEKLY SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Winner: Chris Harby – Melton Times
Highly commended: David Powell – North Devon Journal
DAILY/SUNDAY SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Winner: Jon Colman – Carlisle News & Star
Highly commended: Neil Cameron – Newcastle Evening Chronicle
WEEKLY REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Gareth Davies – Croydon Advertiser
Highly commended: Adam Binnie – Watford Observer
DAILY/SUNDAY REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Ben Wilkinson – Oxford Mail
Highly commended: Aasma Day – Lancashire Evening Post
WEEKLY PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Anna Draper – Lincolnshire Echo
Highly commended: Stephen Garnett – Craven Herald
DAILY/SUNDAY PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Will Johnston – Leicester Mercury
Highly commended: Stuart Boulton – The Northern Echo
DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Gary Beckwith – Newcastle Chronicle
Highly commended: Annette Hudson – Eastern Daily Press
SUPPLEMENT OF THE YEAR
Winner: Week End – Western Mail
Highly commended: Bullfinch Trial Special Edition – Oxford Mail
FRONT PAGE OF THE YEAR
Winner: ‘Hear Our Voices’ – North West Evening Mail
Highly commended: ‘We’ll Always Remember Her’ – The Northern Echo
SCOOP OF THE YEAR
Winner: ‘Teachers at City Muslim school ‘ordered to wear hijabs’ – Zena Hawley – Derby Telegraph
Highly commended: ‘The many lives of Basildon’s own Walter Mitty’ – Jon Austin – Basildon/Southend Echo
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Winner: ‘Save the Whittington Hospital’ – Camden New Journal
WEBSITE OF THE YEAR
Winner: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk – Manchester Evening News
Highly commended: Kent Online – KM Group
THE DIGITAL AWARD
Winner: Liverpool Echo
Highly commended: ExpressandStar.com – Express & Star, Wolverhampton, WalesOnline – Media Wales
JOURNALISTS’ CHARITY AWARD
Winner: Peter Barron, Editor, The Northern Echo
CHAIRMAN’S SPECIAL AWARD
Winner: Deric Henderson, Press Association
WEEKLY NEWSPAPER (BELOW 20,000)
Winner: Brentwood Gazette
Highly commended: Keighley News
WEEKLY NEWSPAPER (ABOVE 20,000)
Winner: The Cumberland News
Highly commended: Cornish Guardian
DAILY/SUNDAY NEWSPAPER (BELOW 25,000)
Winner: Carlisle News & Star
Highly commended: The Journal, Newcastle
DAILY/SUNDAY NEWSPAPER (ABOVE 25,000)
Winner: Express & Star, Wolverhampton
Highly commended: Hull Daily Mail
NS MAKING A DIFFERENCE CAMPAIGN
Winner: Loneliness: The Hidden Epidemic, The Yorkshire Post