THIS week marks Local Newspaper Week – when we explain the Warrington Guardian’s role in the community. This year, we share our news diary as we plan both the Guardian and Warrington Midweek and make sure our website is kept up-to-date with all the latest news, sport and more.

Thursday, May 5: Election day. The town goes to the polls to decide on new councillors for the Town Hall. The count is held at Birchwood Leisure Centre and chief reporter Vicki Stockman and photographer Dave Gillespie are there from 11pm to set the scene.

Friday, May 6: The counting lasts into the early hours at Birchwood with Dave and Vicki posting results, pictures and stories until all the results are known around 6am. Anyone with stamina could have followed the results through the night, while thousands logged on to warringtonguardian.co.uk on Friday to see what happened in their own area.

Friday is also a busy day in the court diary with Matthew Hobbs covering cases from 10am until 4pm.

For Hannah Al-Taraboulsy, health reporter, it is a change of direction with a chance to meet Labour shadow education secretary Andy Burnham who hits town to join Labour’s celebrations as they take over running the Town Hall.

Saturday, May 7: Saturday sees photographers Dave and Mike Boden out and about. Amateur sport takes priority with netball and cricket on the agenda.

Sunday, May 8: Coverage of Warrington Wolves remains a priority for the paper – and so much more can be covered in the digital age.

Sports reporter Chris Terris Taylor and chief photographer Mike Boden arrive around 1.45pm to prepare. Teams are announced normally 45 minutes before the game, giving Chris time to upload a story for fans while Mike makes his way to his position, behind the sticks. For Chris the game passes quickly with half time and full time match reports online within minutes and quotes from boss Tony Smith added as soon as his press conference finishes and Mike adding pictures when the hooter has gone. Today, a comfortable win over Keighley means Warrington progress in the Challenge Cup.

Monday, May 9: Meetings take place throughout the week as we plan the Warrington Guardian, but most decisions are made on a Monday meeting between news editor Gareth Dunning, deputy editor Melanie Whitehead, sub editor Sarah Harker and group editor Nicola Priest.

Reporters are at Chester Crown Court and speaking to the family of a woman needing help to get her ill husband to her wedding, among others. Final touches are also put to the Warrington Midweek which goes to press on Monday night. This week’s front page features stories and pictures from the election count while a full match report from Sunday is on the back.

Tuesday, May 10: Reporters head to Warrington Crown Court, Warrington Coroner’s Court and to a TV studio in Altrincham where author Curtis Jobling, from Penketh, shows us around ahead of his new children’s TV show.

Hannah Bargery also shoots a video which has been added to our website.

Increasingly, journalists need skills beyond writing. In the evening, reporters cover parish council meetings while the office remains busy until 8pm with staff working to finish Thursday’s edition Wednesday, May 11: The reports (should) be finished and the paper is sent to be printed at around 5pm – with pages sent to our production department for last minute changes around 3pm. For the reporters, work starts on next week while calls to the fire service, police and visits to court can be added if necessary.

Thursday, May 12: The week starts again - with another week of covering all the news and sport in town.