Argus reporter Ben Leo has been announced as the country’s young journalist of the year.

The Worthing-based reporter was named the top young journalist in the country at the Regional Press Awards being held today.

The reporter, who first started working at the paper in August 2012, beat off talented entries from across the country including the Newcastle Evening Chronicle, Birmingham Mail and Aberdeen Evening Express.

Judges were impressed with his portfolio of articles which included an expose of the commission-led selling of Sussex-based energy firm EDF Energy that rewarded staff for placing customers on more expensive tariffs.

His nominated stories also revealed the £1 billion put into fixed odds betting terminals in our county’s bookies every year and the craze of youngsters to free climb up building sites putting themselves at risk of serious injury and death.