Regional publisher Johnston Press has won the contract to print copies of free newspaper the Metro in the South of England.

The deal, with Metro owner DMG Media, will see JP print 85,000 copies of the 96-page title at its Portsmouth print site, five nights a week from Monday to Friday.

DMG Media is planning a 10pc increase in the print run for the title, with the JP copies set to be distributed in the Portsmouth, Thames Valley, Southampton, Crawley, Eastbourne, Brighton and Littlehampton areas.

JP already has the contracts to print the Sheffield and Leeds editions at its print site in Dinnington.

The new contract will initially run for 12 months, after which it will be subject to an annual review.

JP chief executive Ashley Highfield said: “This contract signifies our position as a leading print contractor against major national competitors and confirms our status as a consolidator in regional press printing.”

David Crow, MD Group Services Division (Print and Logistics), added: “We are delighted to win this contract and further our print relationship with Metro given we already print the title for distribution in Sheffield and Leeds from our Sheffield Web plant in Dinnington”

JP’s other major print contracts include The Daily and Sunday Express and Star, The Times in Ireland and The Guardian and Observer in Ireland.  The company now has three printing presses, located in Portsmouth, Dinnington and Carn in Northern Ireland.