ON its 175th anniversary, the Newcastle Journal scooped the top honour at the North-East Press Awards on Saturday - but there was still room for three journalists from The Northern Echo to pick up prizes.

And the Echo's former editor, Andrew Smith, was honoured with the lifetime achievement award.

Mr Smith, 54, joined Echo journalists Mike Amos, Barry Nelson and Gavin Engelbrecht in collecting awards at the Civic Centre in Newcastle.

He was editor of the Echo from 1997 to 1999, having started his career in 1970 on the Blyth News. He has edited many of the region's papers - including the Hartlepool Mail, Sunderland Echo, Northumberland Gazette - and is now director of editorial with the Recognition Marketing and PR agency in Darlington.

"I'm thrilled to be recognised by fellow editors and journalists," said Mr Smith. "I've had the pleasure throughout my career of working with so many dedicated and talented journalists, and it was their efforts that made the newspapers I was in charge of very special, so I dedicate this award to them all."

Mr Amos, a holder of the Graeme Stanton Award for lifetime achievement, was named sports writer of the year. Health editor Barry Nelson won the prize for the best portfolio of health reporting, and Gavin Engelbrecht won the Kate Adie Prize for initiative. It was his work on the Echo's "shot at dawn" campaign that helped win pardons for soldiers executed for cowardice during the First World War that caught the judges' eyes.

The night, though, belonged to the Journal. First published on May 12, 1832, the paper won six individual awards and scooped the crown The Northern Echo has worn for the past year by being named North-East Newspaper of the Year. Congratulations to all the winners.

CORDNER AWARD WINNERS

Newspaper of the Year: The Journal.

Journalist of the Year: Adam Jupp, Evening Chronicle.

Graeme Stanton Award, Lifetime contribution to journalism: Andrew Smith.

Weekly Newspaper of the Year: The Hexham Courant.

Weekly Newspaper Journalist of the Year: Lyndsey Wright, Hexham Courant.

Tom Cordner Quill Trainee Journalist of the Year: Chloe Griffiths, The Journal.

Mike Gilligan Prize: NE Magazine of the Year Winner: North East Lifestyle

Jim Merrington Prize, Photographer of the Year: Paul Kingston, North News & Pictures.

Ian Weir Memorial Award, Picture of the Year: Paul Kingston, North News & Pictures.

Consumer Affairs Prize for Best portfolio of consumer affairs writing: Jane Hall, The Journal.

North East Business Prize: Alastair Gilmour, The Journal.

North-East Health Prize: Barry Nelson, The Northern Echo.

Thomas E Bergman Prize for the best arts reportage: Sam Wonfor, The Journal.

Phillip Hickey Trophy, North-East Columnist of the Year: Brian Tilley, Hexham Courant.

Steve Jones Prize for reporting that contributes most to the community: Julie Martin, Evening Gazette.

North-East Women's Writer of the Year: Liz Lamb, Evening Chronicle.

Jeremy Bennington Prize, Scoop of the Year: Caroline Smith, Sunday Sun.

Investigative Journalism Prize: Adam Jupp, Evening Chronicle.

Kate Adie Award for Initiative in Journalism: Gavin Engelbrecht, The Northern Echo.

ABC Spike for overall newspaper page design: Babette Decker, The Journal.

Splash Award for front and/or back page design: Dave Hedley, Evening Chronicle.

Fred Hurrell Prize for the best features writing: Barbara Argument, Evening Gazette.

Maurice Brady Award For Hard News reporting: Daniel Cochlin, The Journal.

Durhams Sporting Plate, Sports Writer of the Year: Mike Amos, The Northern Echo.

Eric Dobson Scroll for North-East Trainee: Gary Martin, Hartlepool Mail.