Shepherd PR has appointed two former journalists to join the team.

Guy Pearson is appointed PR account manager and Natalie Wakefield as senior account executive.

Pearson started his career at the Cheadle-based Times and Echo Group and moved on to Stoke-on-Trent's The Sentinel. Wakefield was formerly with the Ashbourne News Telegraph.

Director Jane Shepherd, who founded the Ashbourne-based company 15 years ago, said: “The stamp of our business is a superb journalistic approach and the appointments of Guy and Natalie will help us in that area. Both will play a key role in helping us to build for an exciting future.”