Entries are now open for awards which celebrate British sports writing and feature a prize for the best regional journalist in the field.

The British Sports Journalism Awards is now welcoming nominations, with winners being revealed at a ceremony in February.

Among the categories on offer is the Regional Sports Journalist award, presented for “high-quality reporting, featuring writing or investigative journalism” from regional or local media.

The deadline for entries to the awards, run by the Sports Journalists’ Association, is 13 January.

Chairman of judges Tom Clarke said: “We had a record 500 entries for the 2014 awards. The indications are that there will be even more for the 2015 awards.”

For the first time, te SJA will present an award for Multi-media Sports Package for the creative use of a variety of media – words, images, graphics, video and audio – in covering a sports event.

Tom added: “Most of the tweaks we have made result directly from the feedback on the 2014 awards and from our consultation with sports editors and heads of sport.”

The awards dinner will be staged at a new venue, the Lancaster London Hotel, on Monday 22 February.