In March 1997, Adam Wayne Henderson, of Hawkins Close, West Harrow, was mysteriously found dead in a cell in Uxbridge Police Station.

The 26-year-old’s death was avidly reported by the well-established Harrow Observer at the time. However, the story was also featured on the first front page of an up and coming free rival paper called The Harrow Times, alongside a picture of the Queen visiting Kingsbury High School to launch the Royal Family’s website at the school’s computer centre.

Twenty years ago, a little known Newsquest publishing group led by the then-chairman Jim Brown and former chief executive Paul Davidson made the brave decision to launch an alternative newspaper right in the heart of the Observer’s “territory”.

Earlier in the year, they had begun their company by making a £330 million purchase of the old Westminster Press group, which was comprised of more than 100 local newspapers across the country.

A few days later, the new North London managing director Roger Mills met staff in Hendon to talk about Newsquest. At the end of the discussion, several questions were asked, including one from the Borehamwood And Elstree Times’ editor Rod Brewster, who pondered: “Why don’t we launch the Times into Harrow?”

Only a couple of weeks later, the newspaper was born and Barry Brennan, a former editor of The Hendon And Harrow Times, recalls Mr Mills sauntering into his office at the time and announcing the news with a wide grin on his face.

“Terrific,” Mr Brennan replied, although he felt slightly hesitant. “There’s the huge task of organising distribution teams to pop thousands of paper into people’s homes though, as well as sorting out a printing slot for the paper.”

His doubts were met with another smile, as Mr Mills laughed and said: “Already sorted, Barry.”

It seemed as though the Newsquest board had been planning this venture before the ink was dry on the purchase of Westminster Press and so Mr Brennan started to find staff for the new paper immediately.

He knew journalist Charlie Harris, the former editor of the Borehamwood And Elstree Times, who lived in Harrow, would be ideal as the editor, but he wasn’t available to work on the first edition and so it was subsequently sub-edited and designed by the deputy group editor John Killeen.

Dozens of journalists were interviewed to fill the vacant reporter roles and staff from other Newsquest titles including The Barnet And Potters Bar Times, Edgware And Mill Hill Times, Borehamwood And Elstree Times and Hendon And Finchley Times also helped to ensure the new paper ran exclusive stories from day one.

Over the years, The Harrow Times has reached almost 50,000 people in the north-west borough and some of the top stories have included a protest in 2014 from the Somali community against the adoption of a child by a lesbian couple, which was read more than 5,000 times in total.

The most read story of 2012 reached an impressive 6,022 readers after appeal was launched in July to help trace a man who subjected an American bulldog to “blatant animal cruelty”.

RSPCA inspectors said the “extreme” abuse caused the pet to die, minutes after being sold to a new owner who had arranged to collect the dog.

Later in the year, The Happy at Home survey, conducted by online property firm Rightmove, rated the borough in the bottom ten of the worst places to live.

However, shoppers in Harrow town centre disagreed and the paper was filled with praise and support for the “friendly” borough.

The paper was further celebrated at the beginning of last month, as former colleagues and friends gathered at the Claddagh pub, in Hendon, to reminisce over the last 20 years. Some of the familiar faces included former chief reporter Anna Slater, former chief photographer Peter Beal and James Bond, a reporter and feature writer who is now an Independent councillor for Harrow North.

With special thanks to Barry Brennan for helping provide interesting facts about the history of The Harrow Times.

Do you have a copy of the first front page of the Harrow Times? Send pictures to rachel.russell@london.newsquest.co.uk