A CLUTCH of Kent-based newspapers has been sold as part of a £64.15 million deal.

Northcliffe Media, the local newspaper arm of Daily Mail and General Trust (DGMT), is the new owner of Kent Regional Newspapers, one of three businesses sold by Trinity Mirror.

The Kent titles include the Herne Bay and Whitstable Times, Folkestone Herald, Dover Express, Medway News, Medway Standard, East Kent Gazette, Faversham Times, Isle of Thanet Gazette, the Thanet Times and free Adscene weeklies in Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone, Dover, Maidstone, Medway, Sittingbourne and Thanet.

Northcliffe, which already owns the Kent and Sussex Courier series in Tunbridge Wells, has also bought East Surrey and Sussex Newspapers, based in Reigate, and Dorset magazine publisher Blackmore Vale. Together they employ more than 400 staff.

Michael Pelosi, managing director of Northcliffe, told staff that the purchase represented "a vote of confidence from DMGT in Northcliffe and the future of local media".

He added: "We believe that the division has an excellent future as a provider of high quality local media content and services. The acquisitions strengthen our publishing reach in a region demonstrating strong economic growth where digital opportunities are particularly attractive."