A PRESTIGIOUS journalism award could be on its way to East Renfrewshire...after The Gazette and Barrhead News chief reporter was named as a finalist in the Scottish Press Awards.

Stephanie Brawn is one of just five reporters from newspapers across Scotland to be shortlisted in the Young Journalist of the Year category.

Judges were impressed by her work on a series of hard-hitting articles, including a feature on football ace Chloe Arthur, from Erskine, who helped the Scotland women's team qualify for a World Cup finals for the first time.

Chloe told The Gazette how her dad Gary, who died in the Clutha tragedy in 2013, would have been proud of her historic achievement.

Another article which caught the judges' attention focused on the tragic death of Johnstone man James Anderson, whose body was pulled from the River Clyde after he failed to return home from a night out in Glasgow.

And they were also impressed by an in-depth feature on a special project to tackle domestic abuse by educating young people on what is 'right and wrong' in an era when social media is having a growing influence on their lives.

A record number of entries were received for this year's awards, making Stephanie's achievement all the more impressive.

She is up against four other finalists from The Sunday Times, Edinburgh Evening News, Scottish Sun and Evening Times.

The winners of the 40th annual Scottish Press Awards will be announced at a glittering ceremony at the Doubletree by Hilton Glasgow Central on Thursday, April 25.

Stephanie said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have been nominated for this award.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed working for The Gazette and Barrhead News since I joined in April 2017 and I was over the moon to be given the opportunity to become chief reporter last June.

“I would like to say a massive thank-you to all of my colleagues on both papers. I am so lucky to work with people who make me smile every day in a job which can be highly challenging at times.

“It would be amazing if I was to be named Young Journalist of the Year but just being nominated is already a fantastic honour.”