Concern has been raised after copies of a conspiracy theory ‘newspaper’ were distributed in Sidmouth.

The Light, which describes itself as a ‘truthpaper’, claims the Covid pandemic was a hoax and that vaccines are weaponised mind control devices. It also promotes climate change denial.

Six copies of the publication were spotted on the outside display of the Spar shop in Sidford on Monday, January 23 by a passer-by. When he asked the shop staff about the papers, they said someone must have placed them there without permission.

When the Herald contacted the Spar shop a member of staff confirmed that the papers had been put on the outside display without their knowledge, and said all the copies had now been put ‘straight into the bin’.

It later emerged that copies of the paper were pushed through residents’ letterboxes in Balfours about three weeks ago. A reader contacted the Herald to say one of his neighbours had been ‘panicked’ by the alarmist claims in the publication.

The Light was founded by its editor Darren Smith in September 2020, with its first issue claiming that Covid lockdowns and compulsory mask-wearing were tools for turning Western democracies into ‘totalitarian police states’.

It is published online and also has a network of volunteers who distribute print copies in their localities. In January 2021 residents of Totnes found copies had been pushed through their letterboxes, and took to social media to ridicule the claims made in its pages.

More recently, in September 2022, residents of Stroud held a protest against The Light being circulated around the town.

There have been large volumes of inaccurate information about Covid-19 circulating since the beginning of the pandemic, including misinformation about vaccinations against the infection. For accurate clinical advice on Covid-19 and the vaccine, visit www.nhs.uk.

Have you received a copy of The Light – or seen it distributed around Sidmouth? If so please contact philippa.davies@newquest.co.uk