Facebook is the most used social media platform as a source of local news, a new study has revealed.

A report by broadcast watchdog Ofcom into news consumption in the UK has found that almost three out of five people, 59pc, use Facebook as a source for local news.

This is almost double the number who use Twitter, 30pc, for local news, with Instagram at 29pc being the next most used.

Snapchat came next with 22 pc and TikTok came last, with just 21pc of people using it as a source of local news.

The report’s findings come despite Reach plc, the UK’s largest regional publisher, citing recent changes to Facebook’s algorithms for a decline in both digital revenue and overall page views across its titles online.

A specific study of 16 to 24-year-olds for the report also found that age group to be less interested in local and regional news than other demographics.

Just 34pc agreed that “knowing what’s going on in my region” was a reason they follow the news, compared with 47pc overall, while for “knowing what’s going on in my local area” the figure was 36pc, compared with 49pc overall.

The study appears at odds with a trading update published in May in which Reach blamed “recent changes to the way Facebook presents news content,” for a “page view slowdown” across the group.

However the findings have sparked Duncan Williams, who runs West Country-based news aggregator Pulman’s Weekly News, to “adapt their strategies” in order to meet the needs of their readers.

Duncan, pictured, said: “This research signifies a paradigm shift in the way younger generations consume news, with social media platforms becoming the go-to choice for staying informed about current events and trending topics.

“Traditional media outlets face the challenge of adapting their strategies to meet the evolving preferences of this tech-savvy demographic.

“As social media continues to shape the news landscape, it remains crucial for news organisations to leverage these platforms to effectively reach and engage with the younger audience.”