It won’t have escaped your notice that we’ve had to take a different approach in the Adver over the past couple of weeks.

It’s been a truly unprecedented time that has seen pretty much all sport cancelled, courts affected and many businesses closing due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

So we’ve had to adapt our coverage. Our Something for the Weekend supplement has been suspended until theatres and venues reopen. The nostalgia pictures we publish in Rewind on Mondays are being replaced by an eight-page puzzles special.

And from today our sport coverage will be paused. The Adver sports team have worked incredibly hard to keep the wheels turning on our coverage. And we’ve had great support from sports clubs large and small across the area, so thank you for that help.

But I’m afraid that today will be the last day we feature sport until this coronavirus crisis is over.

It has not been an easy decision and is no reflection on the excellent coverage provided by the Adver’s sports reporters.

But the Adver needs to focus its resources on where they’re most needed and during this period that means providing the in-depth coverage our readers want and need on Covid-19.

And the good news stories that are happening in communities in and around Swindon.

This decision was not taken lightly and I realise some of you will be upset by this. I know that for many of you, the sports pages are where you turn to first when you pick up the papers.

To you, I say I hope that you understand that in these extraordinary circumstances, very difficult decisions have to be taken. This is one of those.

But I can assure you, as soon as things get back to normal, we’ll pick up where we left off.

If you would like to discuss this decision with me, please email me and I will happily get back to you.

I’m at pete.gavan@newsquest.co.uk