Picture: What's the inside scoop? - The annual British Press Awards celebrates the best journalism in the UK. What's the best newspaper in the UK and who has been delivering the hottest scoops over the last 12 months?

　　These questions, and more, were answered at the recent British Press Awards – the annual celebration of national press journalism.

　　Flair and style

　　For more than 30 years, journalists and newspapers have been given special accolades at the Awards for individual and groups who demonstrate good journalism, flair and style.

　　The ceremony, often described as the 'Oscars of British journalism', is split into a number of categories, which includes best reporter, scoop, national newspaper, front page and photographer over the last 12 months.

　　Newspaper of the Year

　　This year's Newspaper of the Year went to The Observer, a national Sunday broadsheet, which is the sister paper of The Guardian, published daily.

　　Specialising in in-depth analysis and comments on UK and world news, politics, arts and culture, The Observer beat off stiff competition from strong contenders like the Daily Mirror, The Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday.

　　Although the Daily Mirror missed out on the Newspaper Of The Year award, it did take home Front Page of the Year and Scoop of the Year by reporter Stephen Moyes for "My Affair: By Prezza" – the revelation that John Prescott, the UK's Deputy Prime Minister, was having an affair with his diary secretary Tracey Temple.

　　Reporter of the Year

　　Reporter of the Year went to Sheila McNulty from the Financial Times, who also picked up Specialist Writer of the Year.

　　The judges who were unanimous in their decision, saluted her investigation of BP's safety record and described her work as ground-breaking journalism, expertly researched and brilliantly told for the target audience.

　　Other winners included:

　　Andrew Stenning (Daily Mirror) – Photographer of the Year

　　Christina Lamb (The Sunday Times) – Foreign Reporter of the Year

　　Fiona Cummins (Daily Mirror) – Show Business Writer of the Year

　　Ian Ridley (Mail on Sunday) – Sports Journalist of the Year.

　　Global reputation

　　The British Press has a global reputation for delivering high-quality news, which is not only informative but entertaining.

　　The variety of national newspapers – ranging from broadsheet like The Independent and the middle markets like the Daily Mail, to tabloids like the Mirror and specialist publications like The Voice (which serves the Black British community) – reflects the diverse communities who live in the UK.

　　Newspapers online

　　Today, the British Press publishes its output electronically as well as on paper. While some moved faster and more enthusiastically than others, all national newspapers now have their own websites.

　　This has created a new generation of online journalists delivering up-to-the-minute scoops which can be accessed by readers at the touch of a button.　  (Source: British Consulate-General in Chongqing)