The longest-serving editor of a regional daily has been honoured by a university for his contribution to journalism in the North-East of England.

Peter Barron was awarded an honorary fellowship by the University of Sunderland on Tuesday.

Peter stepped down after 17 years in charge of the Northern Echo in April, having started as a reporter at the paper in 1984.

His award was presented by former Olympic silver medalist and university chancellor Steve Cram.

Peter, pictured above, told the Echo: “To receive an honorary degree means an awful lot.

“Being from the region myself, receiving this from a North-East University is a very special honour, particularly as the University of Sunderland has a growing reputation for training the next generation of journalists.”

Peter, who lives in Hurworth, near Darlington, recently launched his own media company.

He has also taken up an ambassadorial position with Darlington College, where he trained as a journalist.