A former Radio Norwich and The Beach newsreader who died earlier this year aged 31 has been posthumously shortlisted for the prestigious Medical Journalists' Association Editor of the Year Award.

Christina Earle, who started her career in Lowestoft before becoming The Sun's health features editor, died on March 2.

She was described by colleagues at The Sun as 'inspirational' and 'kind-hearted', known for touching so many people's lives and raising thousands of pounds for charity.

Christina, who launched The Sun's Who Cares Wins awards recongising NHS staff and other health heroes, was nominated by her friend and colleague Lynsey Hope.

In the Editor of the Year category, those nominating were asked to submit three examples of work. Submissions for Christina included her Smiles at Christmas campaign for CLIC Sargent helping families with children battling cancer, and a fundraiser led by Denise Van Outen in memory of Sun fitness guru Nicki Waterman which raised £43,000 for the foundation set up in her honour for the Brain Tumour Research charity.

Christina, who lived in Isleworth, London, with her husband Oliver Newbury, completed a degree in journalism at the University of Central Lancashire, and her first role was as a broadcast journalist and newsreader at The Beach in Lowestoft and Radio Norwich. She started working part-time in 2007 and became a fully fledged member of the team the following year.

She joined The Sun as a freelancer in 2011 before joining the paper's staff, and was promoted to health features editor in 2017.

Her parents Melvyn and Marie Earle still live in Blundeston, near Lowestoft.

Paying tribute to Christina, her sister Catherine Earle said: 'She was a beautiful person, inside and out, and she touched so many peoples lives.

'Her life was cut far too short and she will be sadly missed by all those that knew her.'

The Medical Journalists' Association was founded in 1967 and represents more than 450 of the UK's leading health and medical journalists working across national newspapers and broadcasters, specialist and trade press and digital platforms.

The winners of the awards - which also include a nomination for Chris Packham's Asperger's and Me which is shortlisted for the Broadcast Feature award - will be announced at a ceremony on June 20 at the Barber Surgeon's Hall in the City of London.