An award-winning reporter has left an independent publisher to join London’s Evening Standard.

Lydia Chantler-Hicks has said farewell to the KM Group, where she most recently worked for the Kentish Gazette.

Lydia, pictured left, was named Print & Online Journalist of the Year at this year’s Kent Press & Broadcast Awards and previously won Print Journalist of the Year.

She has also previously been shortlisted for both Young Journalist of the Year Weekly Reporter of the Year at the Regional Press Awards.

Lydia spent five years with the KM Group and announced her job move in a Twitter post.

She wrote: “Very excited for a new chapter in London, but sad to be leaving the brilliant Gazette and Kent Online team.

“Thank you to all those who have trusted me to tell their story, and to everyone I’ve worked with for making the last five years so fantastic.”