'Independent' award

The Independent was last night named National Newspaper of the Year in the British Environment and Media Awards. Judges cited 'the wide range, depth, consistency and quality' of its coverage of environmental issues and the priority given to them.

John Vidal, of the Guardian, was National Newspaper Journalist of the Year. Nicholas Schoon, the Independent's environment correspondent, and Polly Ghazi, of the Observer, were commended. Susan Watts, Tom Wilkie, Oliver Gillie and Peter Dunn contributed material in the Independent's entry.

The awards are organised by Media Natura, a charity that seeks to link advertising and media industry talents to environmental campaigns.