Cornish Times staff have been working hard from home to bring you the latest edition of your local paper.

This week we lead with a story about coronavirus ‘bubbles’ in schools and what happens when one child in a family is isolating but the others have to go to school. A local parent with three children in primary says he’s disgusted that two of his children have been marked as having unauthorized absence while the third and youngest child is at home. And he’s especially cross that his older children have now had their access to online learning withdrawn. But the school says it’s doing what the Government has told it to do.

Inside this week: an inquest has concluded into the deaths of Richard Smith and Kevin Branton from Saltash, who died of carbon monoxide poisoning linked to their cooker in 2010. Read the findings of the inquest and the moving statements from the families of the two young men.

We have news from the Tamar Crossings, where the Government has agreed to provide funding to cover the shortfall left by a drop in traffic on the bridge and ferry during the covid pandemic, and there’s a piece by a local journalism student who’s interviewed small business owners in Liskeard on how they’ve been hit by this second lockdown.

If you’ve driven down South Hill Road in Callington, you might have seen an enormous fir tree outside the house of the Wheeler family. We have a lovely story about how this tree is going to be donated to the town square in memory of a larger than life character who absolutely loved all things Christmas.

And talking of festive events – it’s that time of year where towns and villages start to get ready for the Christmas countdown. But of course a lot of the usual parades and gatherings can’t take place under the current restrictions. Councils, churches and groups in South East Cornwall have been working hard to make sure a little light and laughter shines through December, and we give you an overview of the events planned so far. Look out for pictures from Liskeard where volunteers spent seven hours on Sunday getting the trees in place!

As well as this we have seven pages of local and regional sporting features and reports, including a great story from the Cornwall Cricket Trust, and news of a unique new project where records kept by shark anglers are helping marine science and conservation. There’s also planning news, court reports, two pages of reader letters, and news from the Farming sector.

Our Open for Business pages give you useful advice and information whether you’re a trader or a customer – and we bring you the ever-popular Nature Watch page with Ray Roberts, puzzles, recipes and more.

Look out for your latest edition of the Cornish Times, in the shops from today!