DISTRIBUTION of anti-Covid vaccination newspaper The Light to homes in Wellington and surrounding areas was this week condemned in the strongest terms by Somerset county councillor John Thorne.

Cllr Thorne, who is also a Wellington town councillor, said: “Being a journalist myself, I understand the laws of libel and therefore I have to be a little careful with my comments about the crackpots who not only produce this newspaper but also deliver it through our residents’ letterboxes.

“I hope nobody takes the slightest bit of notice of the conspiracy theory madness that this publication peddles, suggesting that the coronavirus pandemic is a hoax and the vaccine jabs are likely to kill you.

“I believe in free speech, and therefore the guy who publishes the newspaper in Manchester has a right to spend his money in this way if he wants to. But it disgusts me that people who presumably live locally in the Wellington area are taken in by this nonsense and then are prepared to go out and deliver the paper to homes here.

“I have had reports that some copies have also been delivered to homes in West Buckland, where I am also their county councillor.

“Should anybody be put off by this publication from having their Covid jab and subsequently contracts the virus and dies, then the publishers and distributors will have blood on their hands.

“I urge everyone to have their vaccinations as soon as they are offered, and I will certainly do so immediately my GP surgery invites me.

“We may perhaps never rid the world of Covid but with vaccinations we can at least bring it under control and stop it dominating our day to day lives in the way it does currently.”