Sunday Mercury reaches for the stars

A proud day at Fort Dunlop after top honours were picked up by the Sunday Mercury at last night's Midland Media Awards 2009.

The Birmingham Mail's sister title won Newspaper of the Year at the prestigious event held at New Bingley Hall, Hockley.

Organised by Birmingham Press Club, the awards were entered by titles from as far away as Leicester, Worcester, Stoke and Wolverhampton.

But it was journalists from Bpm Media, the publishers of the Birmingham Mail, who won a string of the most coveted awards.

News Reporter of the Year was scooped by Adam Aspinall (below, left) after a string of exclusive investigations for the Sunday Mercury.

Photographer of the Year was awarded to Iain Findlay (above, right) for a stunning selection of pictures that appeared in the Birmingham Mail, Sunday Mercury and Birmingham Post in the last 12 months.

And Mike Lockley won Columnist of the Year for his popular, stylish and witty weekly page in the Sunday Mercury.

All winners deserve congratulations for some superb work in what has been a difficult 12 months for the industry.

I was particularly pleased at the Sunday Mercury's award. I now edit the paper along with the Birmingham Mail, but it is the dedicated team of brand champions who deserve applause for maintaining the title's high quality and that enviable knack of surprising readers on the front page every single week.

A moment for executive editor Paul Cole, (below, centre, holding trophy) desk heads Tony Larner, (left of Paul), Nick Harries, (right of Paul, in waistcoat), Lee Gibson and Fionnuala Bourke to take a bow!

There were healthy entries from Bpm Media staff, with the following journalists also shortlisted at the awards: Jeanette Oldham, Nick McCarthy, Jonathan Fuller-Rowell, Tim Easthope, Richard McComb, Kat Keogh, Jon Griffin, Jon Perks, Tony Larner, Lorne Jackson, Graham Young and Phil Vinter.

Well done to all!