The editor of two sister dailies has railed against “fake news” in a speech to business chiefs on his patch.

Martin Wright, editor-in-chief of the Midland News Association, publisher of Wolverhampton daily the Express & Star and the Shropshire Star, spoke out on the matter while addressing the Black Country Chamber of Commerce.

In his speech, Martin cited research by YouGov which showed 74pc of people trusted local newspapers in print and digital for news and information, compared with 22pc for social media platforms.

He also contrasted the approach of regional publishers with the work of “fake news” creators, and discussed how digital was “forming part of our future”.

Martin, pictured, said: “We are proud of the role which our newspapers and websites play in local life so it was fantastic to have the opportunity to present to the Chamber group.

“The MNA’s roots in local life date back to the 19th century, with the Express & Star still the biggest selling newspaper in England.

“As a local success story it was good to be able to outline our approach to news and to explain how digital is forming part of our future.”

Representatives of NatWest, the University of Wolverhampton, Walsall College and Autobase Citroen were among the members of the Chamber who attended the invite-only event, held at the MNA’s head office in Queen Street, Wolverhampton.

MNA director of marketing and communications Chris Leggett said: “It was a pleasure to host representatives of so many leading brands from the region to showcase how our business is changing.”