The Bucks Free Press has been named weekly newspaper of the year at a prestigious annual awards ceremony today. 

The Regional Press Awards celebrate the best of British regional and local newspaper journalism over the course of 2017 in print, online and other platforms.

The BFP was shortlisted in the weekly newspaper of the year (below 15,000) category and fought off tough competition from the Accrington Observer, Bury Times, Cambridge Independent, Hexham Courant and Newry Reporter to win the accolade. 

Bucks Free Press managing editor Andrew Colley and Group Editor Samantha Harman were at the ceremony to collect the award.

Papers covering everything from the ANPR scandal in Wycombe, the town's first Pride event and the tragic death of Leo Etherington and the £43,000 cost to clear up the Handy Cross sports centre site after large-scale flytipping by travellers were put forward to be judged by a panel of professionals in the journalism industry.

The awards ceremony was held at the IET, Savoy Place, London and hosted by LBC radio presenter Nick Ferrari.