IN PICTURES: How the Echo's newsroom looked back in the 1970s

The Echo celebrated its 50th birthday last year and was originally part of Westminster Press, owned by Pearson.

The newspaper launched under the editorship of Jim Worsdale and these snaps take you behind the scenes of the Echo’s headquarters in Chester Hall Lane, Basildon.

However, the newspaper - which is now owned by Newsquest - is no longer put together in the same newsroom following a move to a new office in Howard Chase last year.

When computers only just started being produced - a reporter continues to work on a computer when modern technology was just a dream

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These photographs show the old printing presses which were used until the 1990s.

How the newspaper was produced - the old printing presses were used at the Echo’s Chester Hall Lane base

They also reveal the previous method of producing the paper, which involved cutting and pasting parts of the article into a mock-up which was then printed.

Scroll down to see more retro snaps of what the Echo newsroom used to look like.

Finishing touches - the previous method of producing the paper involved cutting and pasting parts of the article into a mock-up which was then printed

How times have changed - technology has come a long way since the Echo was first launched more than 50 years ago

All smiles - two receptionists show their joy in the 1970s

No computers in sight - the editor and reporters look over pages before they are published and distributed to our readers

Hard at work - five men stand after working with the old printing presses

Delivering trusted news to our readers - reporters and editors are put through their paces on a busy newsday in the 1970s

Needing a second opinion - two members of editorial staff look over a piece before sending the newspaper to press