BOLTON'S newspaper for the blind has found a way to bring Covid safe news to its listeners.

During the pandemic, Bolton Newstalk volunteers have been recording stories from The Bolton News and other titles in their homes, and posting them on their website, as a podcast, and also via the British Wireless for the Blind app.

But around two thirds of listeners do not have access to the internet or smartphones, so 200 people have been without their weekly source of news since lockdown started.

Now the charity has established a phoneline on 0330 22 33 452, where callers can listen to the news at a local call rate.

Secretary James Walton, a volunteer for 20 years after reading a story in this paper, said: "Previously, volunteers would record the news each Sunday and download it onto USBs before sending them out to our listeners - but this is no longer practical during coronavirus times.

“We rely solely on community donations and this year, the charity is spending more money that it has coming in.”

The charity was founded in 1976, by people who felt the blind and partially sighted people should be able to have access to the news.

The group gives blind and partially sighted people the opportunity to keep up to date with local news published in this newspaper.

He added: "I originally signed up to help after reading an article in the then Bolton Evening News calling for assistance.

"It just feels nice being able to put something back into the community."