Two acting editors have been appointed at Newsquest’s daily titles in Dorset after the previous news chief was seconded to a group-wide role.

As reported last week, Bournemouth Echo and Dorset Echo editor Toby Granville has been appointed as group editorial development director to lead a newsroom transformation project over the next 12 months.

Now the company has named acting editors for the two Dorset titles who will stand in for Toby during his year-long secondment.

Andy Martin will take charge of the Bournemouth Echo while Diarmuid Macdonaigh will oversee the Dorset Echo, based in Weymouth.

Andy is currently deputy editor and Head of News at the Daily Echo and has been managing the news desk at the title since 1997.

He started his career at the New Milton Advertiser as a trainee reporter before joining the Daily Echo. He will continue to combine his head of news role with that of acting editor.

Diarmuid, currently deputy editor and head of news in Weymouth, has been managing the news desk at the Dorset Echo since 2009.

He started his career at the Reading Post as a trainee reporter and joined the Dorset Echo as a senior reporter in 1991.

Vincent Boni, managing director of Newsquest Dorset said: “I am always really pleased when the pool of internal talent is so strong it is possible to cover this type of secondment. In this case I am doubly pleased.”

The new roles will be effective from Monday.