COLIN Mearns, a photographer with The Herald, was last night named news photographer of the year at the 24th annual Scottish Press Awards in Glasgow.
The accolade followed hot on the heels of his success at the UK Picture Editors' Awards last week, when he again won the news photographer prize.
The much coveted journalist of the year award was won by Jason Allardyce, political editor at Scotland on Sunday.
Charles Wilson, chair of the judging panel for the awards and former editor of The Times, said: ''The Scottish Press Awards continue to grow in quality and quantity. This year they attracted a record number of entries and it is a great tribute to Jason Allardyce that he was voted best in such a competitive field.''
Of the news photographer of the year award, the judges said: ''Colin Mearns has a true photographic artist's eye. His portfolio was a blend of hard news and human observation.''
The Herald and its sister paper, the Sunday Herald, had a strong showing at last night's ceremony at the Hilton Hotel, Glasgow, which was one of the sponsors of the Scottish Daily Newspaper Society event.
Sarah Kate Templeton, health editor at the Sunday Herald, won the David Boyle memorial award and Kenny Kemp, the paper's business editor, was awarded business writer of the year.
The Herald was runner-up in the front page of the year and feature writer of the year categories, with the latter claimed by Lorna Martin for her articles in The Herald magazine.
A total of 392 entries from 50 publications across Scotland were received, the highest in the history of the awards.
making headlines
Journalist of the year: Jason Allardyce, Scotland on Sunday
Scottish daily newspaper scoop of the year: Brian Lironi, Sunday Mail
Reporter of the year (sponsored by Standard Life): Steve Smith, Daily Record
Financial/business writer of the year (sponsored by Standard Life): Kenny Kemp, Sunday Herald
Feature writer of the year: Catherine Deveney, Scotland on Sunday
Columnist of the year: Gillian Bowditch, Sunday Times
Campaign of the year: CHAS, Sunday Post
Front page of the year: Cradle to Grave, Daily Mail
Journalist team of the year (sponsored by the Automobile Association): Daily Record - Anna Smith, Brian McCartney, Keith Macleod
Weekly paper journalist of the year (sponsored by the Automobile Association): Jill Buchanan, Falkirk Herald
Political journalist of the year (sponsored by BAA Scottish Airports): Jason Allardyce, Scotland on Sunday
Sports journalist of the year: Bill Leckie, The Sun, and Richard Wilson, Sunday Times
Arts/entertainment writer of the year: Peter Ross, Sunday Herald
Cartoonist of the year (sponsored by MCL): Frank Boyle, Edinburgh Evening News
Young journalist of the year: Caroline Waterston, Sunday Mail
The David Boyle (Erskine Hospital) memorial award: Sarah-Kate Templeton, Sunday Herald
Gaelic journalist of the year (sponsored by the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee): Carol Zall, Scotsman/An Gaidheal Ur
News photographer of the year (sponsored by Virgin Trains): Colin Mearns, The Herald
Sports photographer of the year (sponsored by Virgin Trains): Ian Rutherford, The Scotsman
Lifetime achievement award: Joe Quinn, Scottish political editor of the Press Association.
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