The DMGT-owned publisher has moved its national regional advertising contract to Trinity Mirror subsidiary Amra, which will be jointly run by the two businesses.

Amra already handles sales for 160 Trinity Mirror and independent titles, while Northcliffe Media brings an additional 110 with it. It is understood the combined circulation of the titles is around 18m.

According to Northcliffe Media executive director Rich Mead, the key advantage to the partnership is giving customers a nationwide scope of regional newspapers for the first time.

He said: "Between Trinity, Northcliffe and Amra's other titles virtually all urban centres are covered, national coverage is very good. The key reason we have come together is to create something that taps into a different budget. Hopefully we will be more compelling to national buyers.

"On a national level nobody has ever made regional sales work, I don't mean that as a criticism of anyone that has been here before, but the industry has always been so fragmented and hopefully this will overcome that fragmentation."

The transfer of titles will be completed by the end of April 2012, in the mean time Northcliffe will continue to be represented by sales agency Mediaforce.

Gary McNish, Amra’s managing director, added: "We are delighted to be working with Northcliffe as their brands fit perfectly with our current portfolio. This partnership is great news for both businesses and the regional press in general."