NEWSQUEST, the parent company of the Daily Echo, has completed the purchase of the Isle of Wight County Press.

The buyout was agreed at a short extraordinary general meeting of the County Press Group in Chandlers Ford.

There was no opposition from shareholders to the takeover, with the vast majority agreeing to sell their shares.

Henry Faure Walker, Newsquest’s chief executive, said: “We want to facilitate a structure whereby they can benefit from the scale and resources that Newsquest can provide, whilst enabling them to carry on doing what they do best – namely providing a first class and unrivalled local editorial and advertising platform for the people of the Isle of Wight and its businesses.”

The County Press has been in Island ownership for 133 years.

Alan Marriott, County Press editor, said: “I look forward to working with the management of Newsquest to publish the sort of great papers the established team at Brannon House have always produced.”

Newsquest said a number of County Press board members would serve on an IWCP Local Advisory Board.

The deal also saw Newsquest acquire digital agency Matrix Ltd and commercial printers Crossprint Ltd.