Yorkshire Post owner National World buys Wolverhampton's Express & Star and Shropshire Star

The titles, with a combined circulation of 23,000 copies, increase National World's daily sales by around 40 per cent.

National World’s chairman David Montgomery said: “These iconic and premium brands will strengthen our footprint, improving our Midlands and national rankings in UK media. Our innovations in TV and video, specialist content and our move to greater automation, will enhance the future performance of these new additions to the Group.

“The greater scale will help underpin our accelerating transition to a multi-platform content business, focused on creative talent. We continue to re-train and re-equip both editorial and commercial staff to serve all platforms - print, online, TV and video, events, business information and e-commerce.’’

The deal with the Midland News Association will also see National World take over a range of paid and free weeklies, plus farming and lifestyle magazines.

National World has also purchased Press Computer Systems Limited as part of the deal. PCS provides Software-as-a-Service technology solutions to publishers and is widely used in the local news publishing industry.

The company said it has invested £14m this year in acquiring businesses, with previous purchases including the Rotherham Advertiser and the Insider Media group.

National World said in August that it is also considering a bid for the Telegraph Media Group which owns the Daily Telegraph.

Phil Inman, CEO of Claverley Group, said: “The Midland News Association, including iconic Express & Star and Shropshire Star brands, has been owned and managed by the Graham family for generations.

"Agreeing to sell was an extremely difficult decision for the shareholders, but after careful consideration, the shareholders concluded that a larger organisation was better placed to secure the future of the business.

“The sale of the MNA will result in Claverley Group exiting from regional newspaper publishing and as such, the sale of Press Computer Systems was a logical extension to the deal for both parties.

“Claverley Group will continue to diversify its business interests and is actively looking to add further acquisitions to the five businesses bought since 2018.”