REGIONAL newspaper group Newsquest continued with its slash-and-burn approach to staffing yesterday with the abolition of two picture desk roles.

Newquest Hampshire plans to cut two posts at the Southampton offices of the Southern Daily Echo and replace them with a “user-generated content” editor for all Hampshire titles and more reliance on freelancers.

The latest instalment in the firm’s profit-driven redundancy drive — which has seen subeditors, reporters and photographers given the chop — was revealed by editor-in-chief Ian Murray in an announcement to staff.

Newsquest has sacked subeditors on its papers across Britain, replacing them with a single “hub” in Newport in south Wales.

It recently came up with a plan in London to publish the work of student journalists — in return for a £120 fee.

Consultation on the redundancies started yesterday and is due to end on March 20.