Readers have praised a weekly newspaper for removing a story about a drink-driver from its website after finding out the baby in the car with her at the time of the offence had since died.

Stevenage-based paper The Comet announced it had made the decision after learning of the woman’s loss, saying it didn’t want “to cause a grieving mother further pain”.

The child died in a later unrelated incident, but The Comet only found out after it had published the court story online.

Editor Nick Gill, pictured, explained his decision in a post on the paper’s official Facebook page on Monday.

He wrote: “A story we published this morning about a woman who pleaded guilty to drink-driving while a six-week-old baby was in the car has been removed from this page and our website after it came to light that the mother in question has since lost her child in an unrelated incident.

“We published this story in good faith to highlight an act of wrongdoing based on the court sentencing information provided to us, but do not wish to cause a grieving mother further pain – so it has been removed on this basis.”

Several readers commented on the post, praising The Comet for its action.

Kelly Hawkins wrote: “Thanks for that. I was mortified that people were bringing this lady’s baby in to it. RIP little one.”

Nicola Surry added: “Very decent of The Comet to act in this way, you’re not to blame.”

And Barry Jackson wrote: “Shows The Comet has a good ethics standard and is not gutter press like some, well done.