I've done my time as a journo although still freelance a bit. I much prefer my PR role as it allows me to be an expert in a particular area. Plus the PR company I am with are very nice and most newspaper employers are a bunch of ****s.
I even manage to get paid twice occasionally for freelance articles - by the magazine/paper and by a client.
Remarkable Group in Winchester are on the up, winning lots of CIPR awards. I am friends with the CEO, Stephen Pomeroy. He is worth contacting.
http://www.remarkablegroup.co.uk/
It's an irrelevance anyway TDD as the next govt (Lab or Con) will be cutting at least one bomber and one attack sub so you'll have plenty of crew to go around!