Journalism students gained an insight into the importance of law and ethics during a visit from the editor of the Worcester News.

Michael Purton explained responsible decision-making over sensitive stories, including those leading to inquests and criminal court appearances.

His talk to year two students on the BA(Hons) Journalism course at the University of Worcester also included tips on securing work experience.

The course has a high employment rate with students going into a range of jobs including print and broadcast journalism, PR and communications and social media management.

Student Kirsty Hatton said: “I really enjoyed the lesson because he helped clear up a question that I had regarding published articles and if the Worcester News faced many legal battles, including jigsaw identification.

“He also told us about his experiences working for local and national news, whilst comparing the pros and cons of both. This helped me gain a better idea of which news outlet would be more suitable for me – local news.”

Principal lecturer Claire Wolfe said: “Our high engagement with industry, including the Worcester News and the BBC through a media diversity placement partnership, helps to give our students a head start with their careers.”

Official Unistats figures show 100 per cent of the university’s 2017 journalism graduates achieved work within six months.