As some loyal readers may have noticed the Comet has undergone some changes in 2022.

One of the biggest changes is the launch of The Comet+ app, which brings an ad-light experience to your fingertips - perhaps welcome news to those who have endured pop-up ads on our free site in previous years.

The Comet's free newspaper model is one that has thrived historically - but now the time has come for us to respond to the ever-changing media landscape, and adapt to how audiences generally prefer to consume their news.

Reporters at the Comet live and breathe the patch - we're all local residents affected by the news we bring, just the same as our readers. We're a part of the communities we serve and work hard on the journalism we deliver. We want our products to be the very best they can be.

The Comet: Scan the QR code to download The Comet+ appScan the QR code to download The Comet+ app (Image: Archant)

This is not without its challenges. The industry has seen reporting resource significantly reduced, as many look to social media and other unofficial platforms for their news.

We will continue to deliver the paper for free in as many areas as we can - however, it is not financially viable to deliver to every house in every town and village we cover.

However you read the Comet - whether you buy a paper, get a free one through the door, or catch the latest headlines on the fresh app, we're always happy and open to hearing feedback.

While I understand there may be some reservations about paying for something which has always been free, the cost of printing and distributing has made a completely free model unsustainable for us as a business.

Following a one month free trial, The Comet+ app is 99p per month thereafter.

Your 99p - as opposed to £1.30 a week, should you opt to buy a paper in the shop - will gain you access to exclusive stories unavailable on the website, as well as biweekly newsletters direct to your inbox, puzzles, and the much-loved e-edition.

Last year we celebrated 50 years of The Comet - and to ensure our survival for another five decades, we've finally moved with the times.

If you value the varied work of the Comet, and having access to verified and trusted news, The Comet+ app is the best place to find it.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.