SCORES of people across Thurrock are set to lose their part time jobs as the borough's remaining newspaper axes its door to door delivery service.

Newsquest Media Group has announced that from February 3 the Thurrock Gazette will only be distributing the paper through free pick-up points.

That will mean a massive drop in the circulation of a title that once boasted it was delivered to more than 60,000 homes.

That figure has dropped massively in recent years and now the death knell has been sounded.

Distributors have received notice that their jobs are 'at risk of redundancy.'

In a letter sent out on Friday (3 January) Newsquest says "This past year has been very demanding on us and the newspaper industry has experienced challenging periods over this time.

"A review of the strategy of the Thurrock Gazette has been undertaken and to streamline the business and provide a more targeted and accessible newspaper product, we are proposing to discontinue the door to door distribution service with effect from the week commencing 3 Febryuary 2020.

In 2018 Thurrock was served by four free newspapers, The Gazette, Thurock Independent, Thurrock Enquirer and The Basildon & Thurrock Yellow Advertiser. The latter three have all folded as print products.