The Macclesfield Express has been named the UK’s Weekly Newspaper of the Year at the 2015 Regional Press Awards.

Judges at the Society of Editor’s chose the Express from hundreds of titles across the country for the honour praising our ‘dogged, determined’ campaign to get a report into how tax payers money was wasted over an aborted waste plant at Lyme Green published in full.

They also praised our campaign to protect respite care services at Hollins View.

The newspaper awards, known as the ‘Oscars of regional journalism’, are run by the Society of Editors is open to all titles across the UK.

The decision was announced at a glitzy ceremony at the Marriott, Grosvenor Square hotel, in London, where our award was presented by Nick Ferarri, the breakfast presenter on LBC radio.

Editor Gareth Tidman, who collected the award on behalf of the team, said: “It has been a busy year for the Macclesfield Express.

“We have been campaigning hard for our readers, not least to get more answers as to what went wrong at Lyme Green and to keep respite services at Hollins View.

“This is a tremendous achievement for our team. It is a testament to their commitment, drive and enthusiasm and their determination to produce a first class paper for the people of Macclesfield.”

Judges also paid tribute to an extra edition brought to bring readers the jury’s decision following a murder trial.

Announcing the Express as the winner, Mr Ferarri said: “The winner included in its submission a dogged, determined investigation worthy of its accolade.

“The winner of Weekly Newspaper Below 20,000 circulation is the Macclesfield Express.”

We were up against the Bath Chronicle, Brentwood Gazette, Cambrian News, Keighley News and Kent Messenger for the honour.

The teams at the Keighley News and Kent Messenger were highly commended in the competition.

The awards were interrupted when a fire alarm went off and were resumed over an hour later.

It comes after a busy year for the paper follows a busy year for the Express in which we have featured hundreds of stories from around the town with our reporters covering court, the councils, crime, community events and celebrating the success of our readers.