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Express photographer Matt snaps up top award

17/12/2003

It was a proud day for the Stockport Express on Friday, when photographer Matt Radcliffe beat off tough opposition from the Manchester Evening News and a host of other papers, to win the GMG Photographer of the Year award.

Matt was chosen for the top award by a team of high flying judges.

Matt's entry photographs, featured 80-year-old Annie Dutton from the Meadows, getting spruced up for Easter, and youngsters from Ladybridge Primary in Cheadle Hulme (above) looking glum after their playground equipment was stolen.

Also featured was Matt's picture of the British 4000m pursuit team at Manchester's Commonwealth Games.

After receiving the award a delighted Matt said: "I'm very flattered to have been nominated and thrilled to have won."

... and Sarah proves she's ace

Express reporter Sarah Challands also proved herself a star in the making when she was runner up in the Trainee of the Year category at the awards presentation.

Sarah, who has reported exclusively on the council's controversial graves safety testing policy and subsequent special inquiry, as well as a host of other key local issues, was highly commended for her standard of reporting and investigation.

And she was celebrating again this week, when she received the National Council for the Training of Journalists' Ted Bottomley Award for the highest mark in a national examination on newspaper practice.

Express editor, Mandy Leigh said: "I am very proud of the achievements of both Matt and Sarah, which should reassure our readers they are being served by the very highest quality news professionals."