A weekly newspaper cleared its front page of advertising and filled 11 inside pages after what its editor called the “worst catastrophe” to hit its patch since World War 2.

More than 100 homes were damaged when a tornado struck the town of Stalybridge in Tameside, Great Manchester between Christmas and New Year.

Staff at Quest Media – including the chairman and chief executive – provided comprehensive coverage of the incident via its radio station Tameside Radio and newspaper title the Tameside Reporter.

Reporters and presenters from Tameside Radio interviewed residents, rescuers and clean-up crews on the day following the Tornado strike, followed by a special outside broadcast on the following weekend.

Meanwhile pictures taken by photographer Nigel Wood detailed both the damage and the operation to clear debris from homes and roads and made for an eye-catching front page for last Thursday’s edition of the Reporter.

Editor Simon Drury said: “It was magnificent work from both the newspaper staff and radio presenters. At one point the ‘big bosses’ CEO Emma Marsh and chairman Chris Bird were out on a reporting shift providing audio and video reports.

“Material was published online and broadcast on air, providing the best possible coverage of the worst catastrophe to hit Tameside since the Second World War.”