THE Standard has been highly commended at an awards ceremony for media in the East of England.

Norwich City Football club hosted the EDF Energy Awards last Thursday.

The Standard was shortlisted for Weekly Newspaper of the Year, but missed out on the top spot, with the award going to the Welwyn and Hatfield Times.

The judges said:"The Harwich & Manningtree Standard has a refreshing, modern look, with well-designed and written features, and an impressive nostalgia section.

"A small but perfectly-formed weekly that was the best-performing paid-for paper in the East of England in 2013, and it’s not hard to see why.

"It’s fair to say that its readers are well-served by a great package that punches above its weight."