Shades of Channon as Geere scoops top prize

No question who was the happiest winner at yesterday's Regional Press Awards ceremony in London - Essex Chronicle editor Alan Geere.

In the lift beforehand, Geere was playing down his paper's chances of success in the Weekly Newspaper of the Year category - but when presenter Nick Ferrari read out the result he made no attempt to hide his feelings.

His victorious race to the stage, arms whirling in delight, carried definite echoes of the 'windmill' goal celebration originally made famous by former Southampton and England striker Mick Channon in the 1970s.

Sadly the duty photographer missed that one, but thankfully not the bear-hug he inflicted on Ferrari after arriving on the podium.