One of the award-winning photographs by Adver photographer Stuart Harrison THE Evening Advertiser has picked up a string of local awards for outstanding journalism.

We triumphed in several categories at this year's Wiltshire Media Awards.

And one of our best known faces Victoria Tagg left clutching two awards columnist of the year and feature writer of the year.

Judges praised Victoria's 'racy' style in her Happy Mondays column, and 'sharp' features.

Other winners were:

Ben Payne: reporter of the year.

Stuart Harrison: photographer of the year.

Tom Morton: business journalist of the year.

Laurie Selby: headline writer of the year.

Judges said they enjoyed headlines such as The Price of Police May Be A Few Coppers Extra which accompanied a story about a low rise in the cost of policing Swindon.

Gym'll Fix It For Athletes for a story about a new gym for a local club also made them chuckle.

Stuart entered three pictures, which caught the judges' eye, including an atmospheric shot of a homeless man in the town centre.

More than 50 reporters from newspapers, television and radio entered the awards, organised by the Wiltshire branch of the National Union of Journalists.

Guest speaker Tim Lezzard the newly elected NUJ president said the public perception of journalists was at an all time low in the wake of the Andrew Gilligan affair.

Newspapers like the Adver, he said, performed an invaluable job, and reporters should be proud of their profession.

Among those presenting the awards at the Swallow Hotel in South Marston was entrepreneur and explorer Rikki Hunt, who hailed the awards, now in their third year, as the best yet.

Local businesses sponsored the event, donating raffle prizes, helping to raise nearly £200 for journalists affected by the Asian tsunami.

Evening Advertiser editor Mark Waldron said: "I am very proud of my team. Everyone not just these five winners works hard every day to bring you the best news, features and pictures and it is great that this has been recognised by these awards."