A regional daily offered UK City of Culture judges 101 reasons to pick their patch when they visited this week.

Stoke-on-Trent is bidding to hold the title in 2021 and was shortlisted after a campaign by city newspaper The Senintel.

Judges visited Stoke on Tuesday, and The Sentinel splashed on an editorial highlighting the importance of the bid.

The paper has also listed 101 reasons why Stoke should win, in a bid to sway the judges in the city’s favour.

Editor Martin Tideswell said: “I’ve had many letters, hundreds of emails and seen tens of thousands of comments on our website and on social media as we’ve reported on the bid process and lent our full, unequivocal support to the campaign.

“What has honestly surprised and reassured me in equal measure is that we have witnessed a huge ground swell of support for Stoke-on-Trent and its bid as the months have gone by and as we’ve started to audit our incredible cultural inventory.

“The people of this city deserve this opportunity and, while there are certainly no guarantees, it is positive to be in the final five and to have a chance to show the judges what makes the Potteries so special.”

The winner is due to be announced by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in December.