A hyperlocal news website founded by a former weekly newspaper editor has scooped a top prize at a county’s press awards.

The Isle of Thanet News, owned and run by ex-Thanet Gazette editor Kathy Bailes, was named News Website of the Year at the annual Kent Press & Broadcast Awards.

Prizes were presented across 15 categories at the awards, which are organised by PR company Maxim and were held on Friday.

It was a record-breaking year for the awards, which received 148 entries in total, with the Kent Messenger taking the Newspaper of the Year crown.

Of her victory, Kathy said: “I am delighted to win this award and want to thank the readers, columnists, contributors and advertisers who all make the website possible.

“My thanks also to Maxim, the judges and LKM Recycling who sponsored this award category. It is great that this shows a hyperlocal can serve its community well.

“I was also delighted that new hyperlocal the Canterbury Journal was shortlisted in the category.”

Rachel Knight, from Maxim, said: “Working in local media can be a challenging and often thankless task, which is why we feel it is so important to recognise the efforts of our county’s journalists.

“This year was our most popular ever with 148 entries, which we believe shows that the media finds these awards as important as we do.

“Those entries came in as audio, film, print and online examples, which really shows how diverse the reporter’s role has become – as was shown by the variety of winners on the day.”

The full list of winners is as follows:

Best Use of Social Media
Winner: Kent Live – Kent Traffic & Travel
Highly commended: Tom Darby, BBC South East

Kent Broadcast Journalist of the Year
Winner: Leanne Rinne, BBC South East Today
Highly commended: Lauren Moss, BBC South East Today

Kent Columnist of the Year
Winner: Chris Hunter, Medway Messenger
Highly commended: Stringer, Gravesend Messenger

Kent Design/er of the Year
Winner: Samantha Barton, Kent Life
Highly commended: ‘cene magazine

Kent Feature Journalist of the Year
Winner: Mike Gunnill, Bygone Kent
Highly commended: Samuel Supple, BBC South East Today & Inside Out

Kent Front Page of the Year
Winner: Ashley Austen, Kent Messenger
Highly commended: Kent Life

Kent Magazine of the Year
Winner: ‘cene magazine
Highly commended: Isle Magazine

Kent New Journalist of the Year
Winner: Katie Boyden, Kent Live
Highly commended: Keilan Webster, KMTV

Kent News Website of the Year
Winner: The Isle of Thanet News
Highly commended: Kent Online

Kent Newspaper of the Year
Winner: Kent Messenger
Highly commended: Kentish Gazette

Kent Photographer of the Year
Winner: Matt Walker, Freelance/KM Media Group
Highly commended: Frank Leppard, Kent Live/Isle of Thanet Gazette

Kent Print Journalist of the Year
Winner: Guy Bell, Kent Messenger
Highly commended: Marijke Hall, Kentish Gazette Series

Kent Programme of the Year
Joint winner: ITV News Meridian
Joint winner: KMFM Drivetime with Rob Wills ‘Make Someone’s Christmas’

The Neil Bell Kent Sports Journalist of the Year
Winner: Keilan Webster, KMTV
Highly commended: Benjamin Watts, BBC Radio Kent

Kent Young Journalist of the Year
Winner: Sian Elvin, Kent Live
Highly commended: Harry Peet, KMTV