A regional daily has run a colourful front page in a bid to “brighten up the start of the week” and raise cash for its coronavirus appeal.

Portsmouth daily The News has aimed to “raise spirits” this morning with the illustration by a street artist in the city known as ‘My Dog Sighs’.

The original image will be auctioned off in aid of the News’s Help Our QA Heroes appeal.

The campaign, launched in March, aims to collect donations of snacks, drinks and essentials at the city’s Queen Alexandra Hospital.

Posting on Twitter, News editor Mark Waldron said: “Something different for the front of The News today – thanks to My Dog Sighs.

“Together we wanted to brighten up the start of the week – and raise money for QA Hospital.  I hope you like it! If you’re out and see one don’t leave it on the shelf.”

Mark told HTFP: “We have focused our efforts during lockdown on celebrating the positive things happening across our communities to help keep our readers’ spirits up and connect them to all the good being done by so many people around them.

“We wanted to kick start another week with something bright and uplifting as well as something a little different and creative. We are lucky to have a vibrant creative scene in Portsmouth and so reached out to well-known street artist My Dog Sighs to ask whether he would produce something special for us – and he was happy to help.

“He also agreed to auction off the original in support of our Help Our QA Heroes fundraising campaign for local hospital staff.

“We wanted to put a smile on people’s faces – and the reaction across social media today has shown that we have. We also wanted to raise the profile of our creative sector and also encourage people that art is something which can help people during lockdown, whether learning a new skill or to spread positivity.”

Stoke daily The Sentinel quizzed Boris Johnson on a lack of testing facilities on its patch – prompting action from the Prime Minister.

Local democracy reporter Joe Burn took Mr Johnson to task at the daily Downing Street briefing on why key workers in Stoke-on-Trent are being told to drive an 80-mile round trip for a coronavirus test.

Mr Johnson vowed to check out the situation “immediately” after being asked on Thursday.

Speaking to the Sentinel on Friday, a Downing Street spokesman said: “We want to make sure everyone who needs a test can easily access one, and thanks to the issue being raised by The Sentinel the Prime Minister said we’d find a way to resolve this.

“And this is exactly what we have done, today sending a mobile testing unit to Stoke-on-Trent so that key workers in the area who have symptoms of coronavirus can get tested straight away.”

The Hereford Times hosted an online concert on Saturday night for its current charity appeal.

The Times organised the gig with a local cafe, and was musicians perform from their homes via an online stream on the newspaper’s Facebook page.

Proceeds went to Newsquest’s Support Our NHS Guardian Angels fund, which has so far raised more than £16,000 for good causes.

You can read all our coronavirus-related stories here.