KentOnline has retained its crown as the county's best news website of the year.

It is among a number of prizes won by the KM Media Group at the Kent Press & Broadcast Awards (KPBA).

On awarding KentOnline with the title at tonight's virtual ceremony, the judges said: “We were impressed with the year-on-year growth.

"The site is full of ‘good, useful journalism’ and is improving all the time.”

The Kentish Gazette, the KM Media Group's paper covering Canterbury, has again been named as Kent Newspaper of the Year for the second in a row.

The judges said: “The Kentish Gazette is full of great features and stories. It’s punchy, vibrant and a solid, loud voice for Canterbury.”

Kent Messenger, which covers Maidstone, was highly commended in the category.

"The site is full of ‘good, useful journalism’ and is improving all the time...”

As for individuals, Lydia Chantler-Hicks, a reporter for KentOnline and the Kentish Gazette, has been named Kent Print Journalist of the Year.

Judges hailed her array of "brilliant and important" interviews which gave "voices to the voiceless". KM's Thanet reporter, Marijke Hall, was highly commended in the category.

Fellow reporter at the Gazette, Jack Dyson - also a recent winner of national crown NCTJ Young Journalist of the Year - scooped best print feature reporter of the year for Kent.

His investigative features were hailed by judges as "real shoe-leather journalism".

Also at the Gazette, Brad Harper has been named the county's best new journalist for his first year as a reporter. Editorial apprentice at the KM, Megan Carr, was highly commended.

KMTV reporter Joe Coshan was highly commended for broadcast feature journalist and sports journalist of the year.

Mark Simmonite won Kent Media Innovation of the Year for his work on boosting KMTV viewing figures during lockdown.

Radio station kmfm was highly commended in the Commitment to the Community category for its work on Project Kent.

Photographer of the year was freelancer and KM regular Andy Jones.