Hereford Times staff are among the best in the country - and that's official.

Three members of the editorial team have been shortlisted for honours in the Newsquest Editorial Awards and will find out the results today in a ceremony at the Tower Thistle Hotel in London.

The awards are open to staff employed by Newsquest, one of the largest newspaper groups in the country, but there were external judges including some of the biggest names in the regional press sector.

Shortlisted for the photographer of the year award, weeklies, is Hereford Times chief photographer, Ray Lloyd, who has served the newspaper for over 40 years. He is up against colleagues from the Basingstoke Gazette and Sale and Altrincham Messenger.

Ray's portfolio included pictures of the May Fair and a vandalised stained glass window in the cathedral.

Senior reporter Bill Tanner is among the frontrunners for the feature writer of the year award - thanks to such stories as how the Hope-under-Dinmore community pulled together to save its school. Also shortlisted are writers from titles in Bournemouth and Brighton.

Anita Howells, who wrote the exclusive account of the life and death of drug addict Rachel Whitear - a story which was followed-up all over the world - is one of two shortlisted for the weekly news reporter of the year award. The other candidate is from Basingstoke.