A regional daily journalist will face national competition for an award celebrating the best in sexual health reporting.

Aasma Day, left, who works for Blackpool daily The Gazette and the Lancashire Evening Post, has been nominated for the Family Planning Association’s 2016 Rosemary Goodchild Award, which is open to all journalists across the UK.

Aasma has won her nomination for a revealing piece with retired transgender headteacher Carolyn Mercer which appeared in The Gazette in April.

The winner will be announced during Sexual Health Week, which begins on Monday.

Said Aasma: “I would like to thank Carolyn Mercer for trusting me and sharing her story despite her initial reservations.

“Her story is very inspirational and informative and the hundreds of overwhelmingly positive comments the paper received from Carolyn’s former pupils about what a fantastic headteacher she was speak volumes.

“Hopefully, Carolyn’s story will help raise awareness and educate people on issues surrounding gender identity.”

Also shortlisted is freelance journalist Fionola Meredith for a piece written on sex education for the Belfast Telegraph.

Other nominees include writers from The Independent, Metro, the Daily Telegraph and The Guardian.