Merstham-based community radio station Susy Radio 103.4FM is teaming up with BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey in a new partnership.

The three-way link-up to enable the sharing of local news across the two counties is the result of a trial development period of about a year.

The three stations say the collaboration will lead to better coverage of local new stories and has come after news in the trial period was shared with the correct accreditation in both directions, paving the way to a successful agreement being reached.

Mark Carter, assistant managing editor of BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey, and Neil Munday, director and chairman at Susy Radio, were proactive in negotiations, forging what they have called “an extremely successful working relationship” which has led to BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey offering news training to the Susy Radio News team at the BBC Sussex studios in Brighton.

Mr Munday said: “I am extremely pleased by the working relationship now established and this will certainly benefit the communities that Susy Radio serves, and also benefit the wider community audience covered by both BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey.”

He said: “I am very pleased that the BBC have recognised the community broadcasting that Susy Radio is providing and are willing to work with us and assist training our news team in modern journalism methods and techniques, to improve scripts and legal knowledge in broadcasting news.”

Mr Carter said: “BBC local radio is very keen to support the development of community ventures such as Susy Radio.”

He said: “These are stations at the heart of the communities they serve. They are also training grounds for those keen to explore a career in radio. “By working more closely together, I’m sure we can mutually benefit from the sharing of news stories, and we may even find our next broadcast journalist or presenter too.”

Susy Radio 103.4 FM is a community radio station serving North Sussex and East Surrey from studios in Nutfield Road, Merstham.

A Not for Profit company run entirely by volunteers, Susy Radio is funded by grants, donations and advertising, with its name Susy standing for SUssex and SurreY.

The collaboration reached was supported by an underlying agreement between the Community Media Association (CMA), of which Susy Radio is a member, and the BBC.

The Susy Radio news team is made up of serving media and broadcast journalism students and broadcast journalists.

BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey, which are based at Broadcasting Centre in Guildford, are the local BBC radio stations that cover the Susy Radio area on FM and DAB.