Newsquest, one of the two publishers behind This Is Essex, today announced its investment in the UK's leading internet business, Freeserve.

Freeserve Auctions Ltd will issue approximately 9.9 per cent of its shares to Newsquest in return for £10 million of advertising support in the group's newspapers.

The advertising provided by Newsquest will include auction listings in classified advertising sections.

Newsquest will cease to use its AuctionHunter brand name for auctions and will incorporate Freeserve Auctions into its regional newspaper websites.

Newsquest is a subsidiary of Gannett, the USA's largest newspaper group in terms of circulation.

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