The Exeter Daily shortlisted for national award

Our sister site The Exeter Daily has been shortlisted for a national newspaper award.

It is in the running for the coveted title of Digital News Service of the Year along with, among others, thesundaytimes.co.uk, metro.co.uk and guardian.co.uk.

The winner will be announced at a high profile event at the Hilton in London's Park Lane.

Exeter Daily editor Natalie Vizard said the success of the site was down to the way it had been embraced by the local community.

She added: "People seem to love our concept of a free website which allows them to become journalists and write about what matters to them.

"The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive and the level of use way beyond our initial expectations."

Editorial director of The Exeter Daily and The Plymouth Daily, Marc Astley, paid tribute to the staff and directors on what he described as an "outstanding achievement".

Marc said: "These awards are an incredibly big deal, the industry's Oscars in fact. For a business such as ours to be nominated in one of the most exciting and closely watched categories is nothing short of sensational.

"It is a credit to the staff and directors that we have been recognised in this way and for them this is already an outstanding achievement."