Petersfield man in Petersfield Hospital after reading Petersfield story in Petersfield newspaper

A pensioner had to be treated for shock earlier today after finding a story about Petersfield in the Petersfield and District Messenger.

Albert Albert RN retd, 108, was treated at Petersfield Hospital after the shock discovery of a press release about a local community group hidden inside the free paper, next to a full-page advert for a nail salon in Farnham.

He said: "I used to live in both Haslemere and Farnham so getting the Petersfield and District Messenger was a real bonus as it was packed with press releases from those areas.

"It came as a real shock to read about Petersfield brownies raising £250. If I wanted to read about Petersfield brownies I would move to Lindford and get the Haslemere Messenger. It's an outrage."

Other media outlets in the area confirmed they were expecting a deluge of letters of ill-informed complaint following the shock discovery.

But some are unlikely to change their policy. The Meon Valley News and the News and Mail, which are both also distributed in Petersfield, are not expected to start including many Petersfield stories in their editions.

A spokesman not connected with either paper, but prepared to hazard a guess at their reaction, said: "It's all about advertising, innit. If they buy ads then they'll carry a press release.

"The only other way to get coverage is to issue your press release along with a picture of a small girl, ideally holding a furry animal. That is one of the first rules of local PR.

"Personally, when I wanted to get coverage for my business I started up my own magazine and bought out the opposition - that always seems to work quite well."