21 October 2011 Last updated at 09:05

Newcastle triumphs at Gillard awards

Winning team: BBC Newcastle celebrate

Local coverage of the Raoul Moat case and their involvement in 'Metro the Musical' helped BBC Newcastle take the station of the year title at the Gillard awards on Thursday night.

Judges commended the station's reporting of events during and after the dramatic manhunt that ended in Moat's death last year, as well as their innovative community musical which celebrated 30 years of the light railway system that runs through Tyne and Wear. Newcastle beat contenders BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Essex to the top prize.

Long-serving broadcaster Ed Doolan was awarded for Outstanding Contribution after more than 30 years at local radio in Birmingham, first with commercial station BRMB, before joining BBC WM in 1982.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire colected two awards at the Sheffield ceremony for their coverage on the 70th anniversary of the Blitz, by winning in the community and multi-media categories.

Impact

In the news categories, Radio Sheffield's James Vincent won journalist of the year, Radio York triumphed in original journalism and Radio Kent collected the breaking news award for their reporting on the closure of drug giant Pfizer's research site, which resulted in the loss of around 2000 jobs.

Graham Mack won best programme presenter for BBC Wiltshire, while Radio Stoke's Peter Morgan picked up the award for best breakfast programme and Jonathan Vernon Smith from BBC Three Counties topped the mid-morning category.

Other winners included Radio Manchester (sports), Radio Lancashire (faith) and BBC Lincolnshire (radio promotion campaign). Radio Shropshire also picked up an award in the Impact category for their documentary on the Royal Irish Regiment in Afghanistan.

Tracy Hall from the Bristol training centre, was also given a special mention by English Regions controller David Holdsworth, who described her as someone who 'knows everyone in BBC local radio and everyone knows her'.

Named after BBC local radio founder Frank Gillard, the annual ceremony, which started in 2000, showcases the best of the 40 BBC local radio stations in England.

Thursday night's ceremony was compered by radio presenter Toby Foster with BBC News director Helen Boaden presenting the prizes. Held against the backdrop of DQF cuts to local services, Holdsworth said: 'It was an inspiring night that reflected the way local radio tells the story of England.' Next year's ceremony will be held in Newcastle.

Full list of winners:

Station of the Year

GOLD - Newcastle

SILVER - Essex

BRONZE - Bristol

Breakfast Programme

GOLD Stoke - Peter Morgan

SILVER Coventry and Warwickshire - Shane O'Connor

BRONZE Kent - John Warnett and Clare McDonnell

Programme Presenter

GOLD Wiltshire - Graham Mack

SILVER Berkshire - Anne Diamond

BRONZE Lancashire - Sally Naden

Original Journalism

GOLD York - original journalism across the output

SILVER Bristol - Robin Markwell {political reporter}

BRONZE Sheffield - guns and gangs culture

Breaking News

GOLD Kent - Pfizer closure

SILVER Berkshire - Swinley Forest Fire

BRONZE Merseyside - Ten Days that Shook The Cop

Journalist of the Year

GOLD Sheffield - James Vincent {political reporter}

SILVER Bristol - Robin Markwell {political reporter}

BRONZE Derby - Chris Doidge {political reporter}

Impact

GOLD Shropshire - In Your Arms - the Royal Irish Regiment in Afghanistan

SILVER Coventry & Warwickshire - 'Beyond the Blitz'

BRONZE Manchester - 'Sex in the City' - a fresh look at the world's oldest profession

Best Mid-Morning

GOLD Three Counties: Jonathan Vernon Smith

SILVER Tees: Neil Green

BRONZE Coventry & Warwickshire: Annie Othen

Community

GOLD Coventry and Warwickshire - 'Beyond the Blitz'

SILVER Newcastle - 'Metro - The Musical'

BRONZE Leicester - 'The Street Party'

Sports Coverage

GOLD Manchester - Rugby League coverage

SILVER Norfolk - Lotus

BRONZE Northampton - Football play offs

BRONZE Jersey - Rugby Union play off

Best Multi Media Treatment

GOLD Coventry and Warwickshire - '70 Stories for 70 Years'

SILVER London - Tube Strike

BRONZE WM - The Pope's visit to Birmingham

Faith Programming

GOLD Lancashire

SILVER Derby

BRONZE Hereford and Worcester

Radio Promotion Campaign

GOLD Lincolnshire - "Tell a Friend"

SILVER Tees - "If you're talking about it, we're talking about it!"

BRONZE Essex - County Cricket

Outstanding Cobntribution

Ed Doolan, BBC WM