A weekly newspaper has launched a campaign to ‘talk up’ its patch – with the backing of a civic group which criticised a rival publication.

The Dover Society recently wrote to publisher Trinity Mirror over what it claimed were declining editorial standards at the Dover Express, which it acquired from Local World at the start of this year.

Now the Society is backing a bid by the rival KM Group-owned Dover Mercury to ‘talk up’ the coastal town.

The Mercury launched its We Love Dover campaign on Thursday in print, online and on social media.

As well as the backing of Dover Society chairman Derek Leach, it has the backing of veteran for Dover Express journalist Terry Sutton who is a freeman of the town.

Editor Leo Whitlock said: “This week the Mercury and its team wears its heart on its sleeve and says loudly and proudly We Love Dover.

“For a campaigning and sometimes hard-hitting local newspaper, it can be tempting to focus on the negative and only run stories about what is going wrong rather than focusing on what is going right.

“But there is so much to celebrate that it is important that we also report on the good as well as the bad, the light as well as the shade.”

“Dover has so much going for it – its people, its location, its history, Dover Castle, the Port of Dover and the iconic white cliffs we felt that we should mark the fact.

“Readers will see in future weeks that we haven’t gone soft and we will still cover the hard-hitting stories that everyone expects us to. We are just making sure we strike the right balance.”

Added Terry: “Few other communities can be set in such a beautiful location between the sea, the white cliffs and the green fields of east Kent.

“But I also love Dover for the resilience of its people today and the comradeship of its citizens.”

The paper has asked its readers to let them know what they love about the town inviting them to get in touch via @welovedover on Twitter.