The Express & Star has triumphed over newspapers from across the country to take gold in a national awards ceremony.

My Classified came top in the Newspaper Society Awards’ Classified Section of the Year category. My Classified was launched in April, encouraging people to buy and sell their goods from across the region rather than internet sites such as ebay. As well the distinctive yellow pages, a fleet of eye-catching vans also took to the streets of the Black Country.

Group classifieds advertisement manager Zoe Day said: “The idea was for people to sell to Bob in Bilston rather than Bob in Boston. We beat newspapers from the length and breadth of the country.”

She said judges were impressed with the creativity of the 50-strong team. The ceremony was held in Crewe last night.

Classifieds manager Alison Norton said: “We reach 430,000 readers daily. One advertisement within the section can reach over one million readers a week.”