The wait is almost over, and we can't wait to show you everything our brand new Teesside edition has in store.

The edition, which will be available from Friday, January 24, will concentrate on bringing quality news to the area, at a hugely important time for the region.

The new edition of the Great Daily of the North – which will have the same cover price of 87p Monday to Friday, and £1.25 on Saturdays — will have increased coverage of Stockton, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Redcar and Cleveland, and Middlesbrough FC.

And it comes alongside a revamp of our online Teesside coverage, which you can now find at northernecho.co.uk/teesside.

The Northern Echo:

Hannah Chapman, editor of The Northern Echo, said: “This is such an exciting time for Teesside, with a series of major projects in the pipeline which could bring massive economic boosts to the area.

“I regularly get asked by readers for more Teesside content, so taking the two things together, it seemed like a natural step to increase our coverage with this new edition. We’re also boosting our online offering, so readers can find out all the latest news and information.

The Northern Echo:

“There is so much potential in the area, with Middlesbrough as the unofficial capital of Teesside, but also in the towns of Stockton, Yarm, Redcar and Saltburn, that we’re really looking forward to getting to the heart of the issues that matter in those communities.

“We’re hiring journalists with a passion for the area to help us tell those stories and deliver the quality news service that the people of Teesside deserve. We hope readers and advertisers will join us in supporting this new edition of the Great Daily of the North.”

January 1 marked the 150th anniversary of The Northern Echo. “With 2020 marking this milestone in the Echo’s history, we felt the time was right to expand on our existing Teesside coverage,” continued Ms Chapman.

“This doesn’t mean there will be any less coverage of the communities we serve in Darlington, County Durham and North Yorkshire – this is very much a new edition, just for Teesside.”

Nick Loughlin, newly-appointed Teesside editor for The Northern Echo, said: “Teesside is a very special area, with a real sense of pride. It’s a bright and exiting time for Teesside and, as someone born and bred here, I fully understand what it’s all about.

The Northern Echo:

“I hope The Northern Echo’s Teesside edition can do justice to the patch and we can – in the best traditions of the Great Daily of the North – give readers, of the newspaper itself as well as the website and social media channels, what they want to read. The Northern Echo has just turned 150 and this is a new chapter for us and one we are all extremely excited about.’’