The Dorset Echo has been named the best performing daily newspaper in the country for the second time in a row - after gaining 370 new readers every day for six months.

The ABC circulation figures for the six-month period July to December 2009 showed that the Dorset Echo topped the newspaper sales list of all local daily papers - and was just one of two titles in the industry to grow its sale.

The audited figures show that the Echo had an average daily sale of 18,396 - a rise of 2.1% - against 18,026 for the same period in 2008.

The Dorset Echo previously outperformed the rest of the daily newspaper industry for January to June 2009 with an ABC of -1.1%.