IN the current coronavirus crisis, The Northern Echo has been thanking our unsung heroes – our loyal delivery agents who bring news from the North-East and North Yorkshire directly to the doorsteps of newspaper readers.

This army of distributors is quietly maintaining a vital lifeline to everyone, especially those vulnerable readers who rely on deliveries to keep connected. While lockdown has been eased, many people are still separated from their loved ones, so reliance on news has never been greater, and just like other essential services, our paper deliveries are key in keeping people and communities connected with all the latest news and updates.

To say thank you to some of the people who make it possible, we’re publishing their photos. Readers, we present to you, the local delivery heroes of The Northern Echo.