A journalist who spent 28 years with Reach plc in different production roles has landed a new job as editor of an independent weekly.

Alan Formby-Jackson, pictured, is joining the Teesdale Mercury as its new editor following the retirement of Stuart Laundy.

Alan joins from Newsquest where he was regional print production editor for Hampshire, Dorset and the South West, working on titles such as the Southern Daily Echo and Isle of Wight County Press.

Before that, he spent 28 years with Reach and its predecessor companies in a number of different production roles, from multimedia desk editor to story editor.

On his new role, Alan said: “It was too good an opportunity to turn down and I’ll be honoured to become editor of a newspaper that has been around since 1854 and is in a beautiful part of the country.

“I can’t wait to meet the team and get started.”

Towards the end of his time at Reach, Alan was part of the Shared Content Unit, producing pages for the whole group, including the Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo and Newcastle Chronicle.

He was also a part of the team that redesigned all the group’s regional titles alongside the roll-out of the Content Watch editorial system.

The Mercury, based in Barnard Castle, County Durham, was bought in October last year by Andy Barr, owner of the Cumberland & Westmorland Herald and Keswick Reminder as well as online breaking news platform Cumbria Crack.

Six months later, Stuart announced his retirement after 40 years in the business, having steered the title through what he described as “the most significant period of change” in its 170-year history

Welcoming Alan to the Barrnon Media team this week, group editor Emily Atherton said: “Alan’s many years of experience in print media will make him a great asset to the Teesdale Mercury and wider company.

“He is joining an experienced team at the Mercury, and I am very much looking forward to working alongside him as we look to the future of a long-established, trusted local title.”