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:: Mick won 2009 Broadcast Journalist of the Year at the O2 Yorkshire and Humberside media awards.

My job entails representing Barnsley on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Sheffield as much as possible. Barnsley is such a rich area it deserves it. In fact, I’d like it to be called Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Barnsley/Sheffield.

It’s a great place. I talk to the delightful people from around Barnsley and you only have to hear some of the features on the radio to be able to tell that Barnsley is a great area.

The people I meet will let you in their homes and bare their lives to you, in a way you don’t expect.

Passion

I wouldn’t want to work in another area of South Yorkshire. There’s something about Barnsley, it’s magical. Its culture, the history of the people and their aspirations. There’s a down to earth nature where you can talk to Barnsley people about just about anything without being kicked in the face. And there aren’t many places you can do that.

Best stories

'Best’ covers so many areas. It can mean working on an hilarious story which is a great crack. It can be something we broadcast and has yielded results from listeners who have responded in a magnificent generous way. People have responded because they realise they are in the same situation, deeply touching stories.

For me, when people come forward and say they want to join in or help in some way, then we here at Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Sheffield are doing something that really matters and it couldn’t be any closer to anyone’s heart.

What makes a good story?

The people’s openness it what makes a good story. You can start talking to someone about one story and then you can find out five or six different things that you didn’t intend to find out about. It’s astonishing. They tell you in a matter-of-fact way because it’s Barnsley. The people are resilient and strong and the last thing you want to do is come out with northern clichés. They tell you about all manner of things.

Sometimes it can bring so many different aspects to Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Sheffield, from a whole programme dedicated to an issue on Toby Foster's Bigger at Breakfast to a great interview somewhere else on the station like Gareth Evans, Rony or Howie.

The lengths you've been to to get a story

I once thought of making a listening device which I saw on the internet, it included using a wok and parts from mobile phones. Apparently it works really really well but I realised it was deeply illegal so I didn’t do it. Usually the truth comes out anyway.

I will go to many lengths to get a story but it has to be legal, reasonable and decent and I certainly won’t be making that listening device… I don’t think.

I love Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Sheffield

I love the variety, being around Barnsley and running around in my car. Talking to people about all sorts. You never know what is coming tomorrow. I’m pretty much free to do stuff in Barnsley, I’ve been told to do what I want and so far, it’s working.

Any advice for those who want to enter the radio industry?

Just be sure you are doing what you love, you don’t have to be wildly outstanding but try to make people think, ‘Yes this person is different and they would do this story differently.’ And that’s what makes people think you should get a job.

Who is Mick Lunney when he's not at work?

I’m thinking about work quite a lot when I’m not in work which is good. I write bad plays (unpublished), I muck about with the kids and I daydream a lot. I can just stare at a TV and not know what is happening, away with the fairies.

If you have a story for Mick, you can email him direct or call the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Sheffield newsroom on 0114 2675440.