A new community publication has been launched to cover a town which lost a weekly newspaper earlier this month.

The first edition of the Bridport Times has been produced as a sister title to the independent Sherborne Times, which was founded in 2008.

Bridport was one of a number of towns in Devon, Dorset and Somerset hit by the closure of the weekly ‘View From’ series – which ceased publication earlier this month with the loss of around 20 jobs.

A crowdfunding campaign has since been launched by Dorset-based marketing service the Poole Post to revive the series, which had a dedicated Bridport edition.

Bridport is also served by the Newsquest-owned Bridport and Lyme Regis News which operates out of the Dorset Echo’s office in Weymouth.

The Times, which is made up largely of lifestyle features, is free and will be published monthly.

In a message to readers, editor Glen Cheyne said: “Welcome to a new year and the very first edition of the Bridport Times, a monthly celebration of people, place and purveyor.

“Having been tapping this kernel of an idea around my desk for nearly two years, it is rewarding to see it evolve from an idea over coffee to the 72 pages of ink on paper that you now hold.

“The Bridport Times is very much yours, a positive platform to celebrate your town, your businesses, and your stories. We are not journalists, nor are we looking to join the squabble of news and opinion.

“We are a tiny, well-intentioned team of writers, artists, designers and photographers merely seeking out and championing the good in others. Take these pages Bridport, fill them with words and colour.”