The best up-and-coming reporting talent has been recognised in the second annual Excellence in Journalism Awards. Run by the National Council for the Training of Journalists, they reward students and trainees or recently-qualified senior reporters with less than two years' experience across five categories.

The awards were presented at today's Society of Editors Conference at Stansted Airport by Helen Boaden, director of news at the BBC. Three further awards were presented to the best trio of students in the exams leading to the NCTJ preliminary certificate and the national certificate examination for reporters and photographers.

Announcing the winners, NCTJ chairman Kim Fletcher said: "Journalism is undergoing a period of dramatic change where skills needed to work in print, broadcast and online news delivery are converging. "Students now need to know how to work across all platforms to stand out from the crowd and the need for excellence is greater than ever.

"The winners of these awards have demonstrated this value of excellence which has always been at the heart of the NCTJ."

The final award judging panel included Loaded editor Martin Daubney, Hamstead and Highgate Express editor Geoff Martin and Society of Editors executive director Bob Satchwell.

The NCTJ chairman's award will be announced by Kim Fletcher at the Journalism Skills Conference in Glasgow on 3 December.