A regional daily reporter has announced his departure from a city website to take up a new position with the local BBC news programme on his patch.

Josh Sandiford announced on X, formerly Twitter, that he is joining BBC Midlands Today after spending two years with the Birmingham Mail and its associated website Birmingham Live.

Shortlisted for Young Journalist of the Year at the Regional Press Awards in 2022, Josh was also recognised in the Young Journalist of the Year (Regional) category at the Media Freedom Awards in September.

In his post on Tuesday, he thanked the team at Birmingham Live and expressed his excitement at the new challenge ahead.

Birmingham Live reporter Josh Sandiford has secured a dream switch to BBC Midlands Today.

“Today is my last day at Birmingham Live,” he wrote. “I’m so grateful for the opportunities and training I’ve been given over the past two and a bit years – it’s been a privilege to learn from such incredible colleagues and I’ll be very sad to move on.

“But I’m delighted to be joining @bbcmtd as a journalist working on news across the West Midlands. Can’t wait to meet the team and get started!”

Josh was originally one of two reporters recruited by the Mail to cover Solihull, bringing additional news coverage to a previously underreported borough.

In his regional press awards entry, he listed his proudest achievement as having worked on a three-month investigation into Logan Podmore, a five-month-old baby who died inside a “chaotic” house with cocaine in his system.