Newsroom legend Gay Bolton caps four decades' service with the Derbyshire Times by winning national award

Gay Bolton collects her award at the National World annual conference and awards evening at the Village Hotel, Blackpool. Picture by Paul Heyes

A reporter has capped four decades' service with the Derbyshire Times by winning an award.

Gay Bolton was awarded lifestyle/features journalist of the year at National World's annual presentation ceremony.

She was among a shortlist of four which included journalists from The Scotsman, the Yorkshire Post and Bristol World.

Gay said: "I was stunned to win the award in the face of such stiff competition but delighted and proud to bring it home to Derbyshire. What a great end to my 40th year with the Derbyshire Times. Thank you to my editor, Phil Bramley, for nominating me and to those who judged the entries."

National World is the parent company of the Derbyshire Times. The awards ceremony was held at the Village Hotel, Blackpool.

Gay celebrated 40 years of service with the Derbyshire Times in March.

She said one of the most memorable people she had interviewed during her long career was Tony Benn in the run up to being elected Chesterfield MP in 1984.