A daily newspaper’s memorial to the victims of the coronavirus pandemic has been officially opened after a two-year campaign.

The National Covid Memorial for Scotland has now been formally unveiled after Glasgow-based daily The Herald raised £240,000 towards the project.

Fundraising for the memorial, which will be based in Glasgow’s Pollok Country Park, began in June 2020.

Scotland’s Deputy First Minister John Swinney officially opened the memorial because First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was unable to attend while herself recovering from Covid.

Mr Swinney, pictured above on the paper’s front page, told The Herald: “This is a particularly significant moment for families who have lost loved ones during the pandemic.

“The artist exhibit is a beautiful illustration of support and solidarity of the values that got us all through the pandemic and which will help us through the recovery.

“And it’s set in a place of peace and tranquillity in Pollok Park, and it’s a beautiful place for us to remember them.

“The campaign to create a national memorial as a fitting tribute to those who lost their lives during the pandemic was initiated and led by The Herald.”

Donald Martin, editor of The Herald, said: “All of us have been impacted by Covid and this National Memorial for Scotland will hopefully provide some comfort and quiet places to reflect and to remember.”

You can read all our coronavirus-related stories here.