A reporter has been promoted to editor at her hometown newspaper as part of a wider restructure by its publisher.

Georgia Barrow, left, will step up to edit The Comet, which she first joined as a trainee in 2017.

The move will see the title’s current editor Anne Suslak move to a new community content editor role with its owner Archant, covering Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

Anne had been in charge of The Comet since Nick Gill’s departure in 2020.

HTFP reported last month how the publisher, currently up for sale, was carrying out a restructure across the two counties in line with similar moves in Norfolk, Suffolk and London, where specialist ‘Live’ reporting teams have been created to cover breaking news.

Harry Rutter was appointed live news editor for Archant’s titles across Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire as a result of the changes.

Georgia trained at the University of Portsmouth and has served as chief reporter at The Comet – which runs editions covering Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City and Stevenage – since March 2020.

She said: “I couldn’t be more excited for this new challenge and feel so lucky to have such a fantastic team to work alongside – not just at The Comet, but across Herts & Cambs.

“Having grown up reading The Comet, I never imagined I would one day be its editor. I’m looking forward to getting started.”

Michael Adkins, senior group editor for the Herts and Cambs region, added: “I am delighted Georgia is taking on this new role. It is always good to see someone who has grown up with the title realising their dream to take charge of it as editor.

“This is a really exciting time for the Comet and the whole of the team wish Georgia the best of luck and all our support in her new role.”

She will take up her new post on 14 February.