FORMER Westmorland Gazette reporter Jeremy Craddock has been promoted to his first editorship.

Mr Craddock, 36, has been made editor of the award-winning Runcorn and Widnes World newspapers, part of Newsquest, The Westmorland Gazette's parent company.

Born in Kendal, Mr Craddock was a pupil at Stramongate Primary School and the Queen Katherine School, Kendal, and is a graduate of St Martin's College, Lancaster.

He was a reporter with The Westmorland Gazette from 1992 to 1999. He has since been deputy editor of the Garstang Courier and Longridge News and most recently assistant editor of the Warrington Guardian. He has also worked on the Daily Mail and the Metro.

He lives in Warrington with his wife, Louise, and their 20-month-old daughter, Emily.

He is the elder son of Geoff and Gerry Craddock, who live in Kendal.

Mr Craddock said: "I got the best start possible in journalism at The Westmorland Gazette. I'm really looking forward to this new challenge."