A long-serving editor has been appointed to a new permanent role with a regional publisher.

Joy Yates has announced she has become Newsquest’s regional editor for Cumbria following the departure of Vanessa Sims.

Joy, pictured, will oversee daily titles the Carlisle News & Star and South Cumbria daily The Mail in her role, along with Newsquest’s associated weeklies in Cumbria.

Joy joined Newsquest to run its North Cumbria titles, including the News & Star, in February last year as maternity cover for Vanessa.

Other titles she adds to her portfolio include the Cumberland News, Westmorland Gazette, Whitehaven News, Workington Times & Star and the Northumberland-based Hexham Courant.

Posting on Twitter, Joy wrote: “Delighted to start 2023 as regional editor for Newsquest Cumbria.

“Privileged to work alongside such talented and dedicated, award-winning teams across our online, print and magazine portfolio.”

Joy edited the Hartlepool Mail from 2006 and added her hometown newspaper the Shields Gazette, which she first joined in 1988, to her portfolio in 2013.

She was given overall responsibility for the Sunderland Echo the following year and has also served as editorial director for JPIMedia’s Scottish titles.

Joy was regional editorial director with JPI – now National World – until December 2021, when her role ceased to exist following a restructure.

Tom Murphy, who was given oversight of Newsquest’s South Cumbria titles in Vanessa’s absence, is now listed as the publisher’s head of digital for the region.