A regional daily journalist will face national competition after reaching the final of a prestigious investigative journalism prize.

Carlisle News & Star chief reporter Phil Coleman has been shortlisted for the Private Eye Paul Foot Award thanks to his investigation which led to a psychiatric fraud being exposed.

Phil will face the Mail on Sunday’s Ian Birrell, Private Eye’s Richard Brooks, Buzzfeed UK’s Emily Dugan, the Daily Mail’s Tom Kelly and Claire Newell and team, from the Daily Telegraph, for the award.

Liverpool Echo journalists Alistair Houghton, Joe Thomas and Tom Duffy had been longlisted for their work on an investigation into failed and stalled building developments across Liverpool, but did not make the final cut.

Phil told HTFP: “I’m hugely thrilled to have been shortlisted for this prestigious award.

“In spite of the many challenges facing journalism in 2019 – both nationally and locally – there is still a lot of great journalism going on in the UK.

“The Paul Foot Award is a great way of underlining how that work really can make a positive difference, shining light into some of society’s murkiest corners and on occasion prompting solutions to problems that hitherto have been left to fester.

“I’ve always felt privileged to be a journalist. Being shortlisted for this award is something I’ll always be proud of.”

Chair of judges Padraig Reidy said: “With more entries than ever, selecting this year’s Paul Foot Awards shortlist was a serious challenge.

“The judges were delighted to reaffirm that whatever else is going on in the country, British journalism and journalists are in excellent health.”

The winning entry for 2019 will be awarded £5,000 at an evening awards ceremony on Tuesday 18 June, at BAFTA, London.