AN exciting era for newspapers in east Cleveland began yesterday with the launch of a new paper.

Newsquest North-East, parent company of The Northern Echo, has renamed The Clarion, the weekly free newspaper for Redcar, Guisborough, Saltburn, Marske, New Marske, Skelton and Brotton The East Cleveland Advertiser.

The Clarion is east Cleveland's longest established newspaper, and yesterday it joined the Advertiser series, one of the country's most successful series of free newspapers.

Vera Baird, MP for Redcar, and Councillor Vilma Collins, Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, opened the paper at a ceremony attended by local dignitaries, advertisers and senior officials from Newsquest North-East.

Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo and The Advertiser Series, said there were exciting times ahead for the paper, which will build on the links with the community established by The Clarion.

Coun Collins said a lot of people in east Cleveland looked forward to getting their Clarion every week and she felt sure this would continue with The East Cleveland Advertiser.

"Many people in our borough cannot afford to buy a newspaper and this is a nice, friendly, informative paper which gives us all the news," she said.

Ms Baird, who will be writing a monthly column for The East Cleveland Advertiser, added that it was a very positive paper.

The paper was bought by Newsquest North-East in March 2000 and moved from its base in Queen Street, Redcar, to offices on the High Street in the summer.