Coleraine Times is number one in Northern Ireland

Only five paid-for newspapers in the Province recorded circulation increases from July to December last year with the Times witnessing a 7.3% increase to 7,602.

In fact, only three other newspapers out of the top 300 titles across the UK had bigger increases than us.

The Coleraine Times is the ONLY local newspaper featured in the ABC figures which means that readers and advertisers can rely on the officially audited figures.

Just 22 out of 401 paid-for or part-paid-for titles in the UK recorded positive sales growth between July and December last year.

The average circulation fall across the sector was 5.8 percent, compared to the same period in 2008.

18,217 unique users visited The Coleraine and Ballymoney Times websites last month. Combined with the circulation of the newspaper titles our total audience reach now exceeds 25,817.

Coleraine Times Editor, David Rankin, said: "The Times is bucking a national trend of falling circulations and we wish to thank all our readers, advertisers and contributors for their fantastic support.

"We are the only local newspaper officially audited by the ABC and to have just three other newspapers across the UK peforming better than us is an outstanding performance.

"As well as our print edition, our online coverage of breaking news and sport, means that more people are reading The Coleraine Times than any other newspaper - and that's official."