A journalist and partner in a self-financed local news website has left the business for “family reasons.”

Pete Bevington, left, has stepped down from his role at Shetland News and will now devote his time to running a wildlife sanctuary on the islands with his wife Jan.

Pete, 56, moved to Shetland in 1988 having worked in radio and print media in London and South Yorkshire.

He initially worked for the Shetland Times and has since contributed to BBC Radio Shetland and the Shetland Post, as well as the News.

Shetland News partner Hans Marter, who has worked with Pete for the best part of two decades, said he would be a “big loss” to the organisation.

He added: “Pete has always been a meticulous journalist capable of turning his hand to a full range of reporting, whether it be complicated political stories or a more straightforward features on community events.

“We are sorry that Pete is leaving the organisation after all these years, but we offer him and his family the very best wishes for the future.”

As a result of Pete’s departure, recent recruit Chris Cope will be increasing his hours with the website, along with reporter Neil Riddell and IT man Clement Duncan.

Pete said he had always viewed the self-financing website as operating “at the cutting edge of local reporting, well ahead of the game”.

He added: “I can see a clear way forward for the organisation to grow in the extremely capable hands of Hans, Neil, Chris and Clement.”