An editor has left a weekly newspaper where she has worked for almost 25 years after overseeing a redesign of the title.

Sarah Saunderson has left the Impartial Reporter, with her deputy Mark Conway being promoted to take her place.

Sarah joined the Enniskilen-based Reporter in 1994, and served as assistant editor from 1997 until the time she took up its editorship at the end of 2013.

Sarah, pictured, played the lead role in the redesign, launched last week, prior to her departure.

The “new look” paper also features an expanded lifestyle section, as well as new columnists, including BBC reporter and former Reporter journalist Sabrina Sweeney.

Mark has worked for the Reporter full-time since 2001, and was a freelance Gaelic sports correspondent for the paper before that.

He said: “I was fortunate that former Editor Denzil McDaniel and Joanna McVey (then managing director) gave me the opportunity in the first instance. I have tried to make the most of that opportunity since then and I am honoured and privileged to be given such a position in a newspaper which plays such a prominent role in our community. Denzil had a great ability to lead and teach as an editor and he has been extremely influential.

“I am really sorry to see Sarah going. We have had a really strong working relationship, especially over the last 10 years. The last four years as deputy to Sarah have been another great learning curve.

“In life there is always change, and it will be up to me to lead the team now as we adapt and move forward. The business is continually evolving, no more so than in the last five years.

“We are a multi-media business now. It is important to inform all our readers on all our platforms, and we will continue to do that.”

At the same time, Rodney Edwards has become the Reporter’s deputy editor and Gareth Cauldwell has taken on the sports editor role.

Mark added: “I am delighted that Rodney is now the deputy editor – an award-winning journalist with a real flair and hunger for the business. Rodney will continue to be a top news reporter and take on more editorial responsibility.

“I have worked closely with Gareth for the last 14 years, his commitment and work ethic is superb. We have a really strong team and we are all looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead and are determined to ensure the Impartial Reporter continues to uphold its reputation as a trusted news source.

“The standards of the paper have always been about the pride of the product and the quality of the journalism and we intend to keep that to the forefront going forward.”