A former regional daily is to become a regular print newspaper again after an almost four-year absence.

The Oldham Evening Chronicle will return as a monthly print title from Friday 25 June with the aim of developing into a weekly and then bi-weekly product by early 2022, its owner Credible Media has announced.

It will be the first time the Chronicle has been printed regularly since August 2017 after previous owners, Hirst, Kidd and Rennie went into liquidation.

Credible Media has run the title as a digital-only operation over the past three years and has previously produced a number of one-off editions using the Chronicle’s branding.

Last year the company sold radio station Revolution 96.2 in order to focus on the paper’s return to print.

Despite its new publication frequency, the paper will retain the ‘Oldham Evening Chronicle’  title on its masthead.

Credible managing director Matt Ramsbottom, pictured, said: “The impact of the Covid pandemic meant we had to slow down our plans for the Oldham Evening Chronicle to return to print, but as the local economy begins to emerge from the shutdown, it’s the perfect time for a regular, re-born newspaper.

“Our plans are measured and sensible, with the aim to produce a weekly edition later this year, followed by a bi-weekly edition by early 2022.”

Credible content director Kevin Bailey will oversee the output, with two in-house journalists and a team of freelancers supplying the publication exclusively.

Added Kevin: “We’re confident that the Oldham Chronicle brand is still strong and respected in the town. It’s been reflected in our outstanding digital results, and feedback from readers.

“It will be exciting to see the presses rolling for the Oldham Chronicle again, and we’re looking forward to producing regular, print editions from June this year.”

Since the Chronicle’s original demise, a number of competitor publications have emerged in a bid to fill the vacuum left by the former daily title.

Newsquest launched its weekly Oldham Times, which has since gone daily, while independent publisher Quest Media launched the weekly Oldham Reporter.