The death of a young cyclist has prompted a regional weekly to launch a campaign highlighting the dangers of texting and driving.

The East Kent Mercury has unveiled its ‘Why Risk it?’ scheme, aimed at reminding those behind the wheel of the dangers posed by not concentrating on the road.

The Dover-based title’s campaign follows a court case where van driver Philip Sinden, was acquitted in March of causing the death of teen cyclist Daniel Squire in September 2013.

He was found not guilty of dangerous driving and the lesser offence of causing death by careless driving.

The crux of the trial at Canterbury Crown Court looked into whether Mr Sinden was texting in the minutes before the collision on the A258. He had admitted texting during the journey.

The Mercury has won the backing of Daniel’s family, who will join the paper in giving away free stickers bearing the campaign’s slogan, pictured below.

His father Symon, himself an avid cyclist, said: “We fully support the Mercury’s Why Risk It? campaign and we hope it reminds drivers who see the stickers in car windows that sending just one message isn’t worth it.”

Mercury editor Graham Smith said: “We want to remind all motorists to wait or pull over instead of texting when they are behind the wheel.”