A BUDDING football coach has taken on two extra paper rounds delivering the Oxford Mail, following the closure of his newsagents.

Kyle Allen, 14, has stepped up after the Martin’s store in Westlands Drive, Oxford closed recently.

The Cheney School pupil has been delivering the paper since November and now has the added responsibility of more deliveries.

“The shop closed so I’ve got extra rounds which get dropped off outside my house in the morning,” he said.

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“I just get on with it so people who are self-isolating can rely on getting the paper.

“The situation doesn’t scare me personally but more so for my grandparents.”

The Oxford United fan used to visit his elderly relatives most days when coming home from school.

The teenager said he took on the role delivering papers to earn his own money.

He said: “It’s good to be independent and I wanted money for myself instead of asking my mum and dad.

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“There’s a load of us at Cheney who deliver the Oxford Mail.

“We’re all friends in the same year and went to the same primary school.”

Looking to the future, Kyle said he wants to follow in the footsteps of his cousin, who runs a sports camp in Dubai.

“He does a football academy and other sports,” he said.

“Scouts from Chelsea and Barcelona look at the players in the academies.”

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Kyle’s mum, Emma, said: “It’s very good of him to get out there and earn his keep.

“It’s hard for people self-isolating like his grandparents but he’s lucky that with technology he can speak to them and see them as well.”

Speaking about the closure of the Martin’s store, a McColl’s spokesperson said: “Having explored all options, regretfully we took the difficult decision to cease trading at the Martin’s store on Westlands Drive, Oxford.

“We are saddened to no longer be operating the store and our priority has been to support all affected colleagues.”

The World Health Organisation has confirmed newspapers remain safe to read during the coronavirus pandemic.

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It stated the likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low, and therefore the risk of contracting Covid-19 through receipt of a printed paper is infinitely small.

In addition, the Government has identified news media organisations and those that work across it as a key public service.

For many isolated individuals, a delivered newspaper is the only way to keep connected through this period of isolation.