THE Lancashire Evening Telegraph has notched up the joint highest number of nominations in prestigious editorial awards open to more than 300 titles across the UK.

Five of its journalists are in the running in awards by Newsquest Media Group - the Telegraph's parent company.

News of the finalists follows success earlier this month in the 2003 Advertising and Letterbox Awards where the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's Pride of East Lancashire Campaign scooped the award for the Best Newspaper Initiated Event. The Evening Telegraph was also highly commended for the A to Z of health and safety in our monthly business supplement

Our sister paper The Preston Citizen was also highly commended for its what's on Ultimate Guide.

In the editorial awards - which were judged by senior independent journalists - the Telegraph has been nominated in no less than four of the seven categories open to evening paper titles and is nominated TWICE in the sports reporter section.

Sports Editor Paul Plunkett is shortlisted for Daily Newspaper Designer of the Year - a title he won last year.

Sports writers Suzanne Geldard and Andy Neild are two of the three people shortlisted for Sports Reporter of the Year.

Danny Brierley is in the running for Trainee Reporter of the Year and Clive Lawrence is a finalist for Daily Photographer of the Year.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph editor Kevin Young said: "I am delighted at this recognition of the talented team of journalists we have working hard to produce the best possible newspaper for the people East Lancashire.

"Along with the Brighton Argus, the Telegraph came out top in the nominations poll and when you consider that we were up against some of the best daily titles in the country, that is a truly outstanding achievement."

Editorial winners will be selected at an awards ceremony on March 30.