Journalism students will have the chance to get copy published in a city daily as part of a day-long project gaining real reporting experience.

Students at De Montfort University’s Leicester Centre for Journalism will be out and about on the hunt for stories to appear in the Leicester Mercury, both in print and online, on 5 November.

Members of all three of the LCJ’s undergraduate year groups will join postgraduates in the hunt for off-diary gems, and will also attend scheduled press conferences, court and council meetings ont he day.

The day is part of events celebrating the launch of Leicester Media School – which brings together studies in TV, film, music, graphic design, radio and journalism.

LCJ director John Dilley, a former editor of the Harborough Mail, said: “We know that the basis of great reporting is getting out there, talking to people and finding out their stories.

“We’re looking forward to reading the stories they bring in and it will be a real boost to them to see their work online and in print.”