Sam Fender urges people to buy The Big Issue amid Covid-19 surge

Musician Sam Fender has urged people to buy copies of The Big Issue at a time of crisis for the magazine's vendors as high streets empty due to Covid-19.

Sam, 27, is friends with an ex-vendor, Earl John Charlton, and the pair see each other when he passes charity North East Homeless on his way to the studio.

The North Shields singer described Mr Charlton as "a diamond, a true hero".

He is now calling on people to support sellers, who are homeless or vulnerable, amid Plan B restrictions.

Christmas would usually be the busiest time of the year for Big Issue sellers, who are self-employed and buy magazines for £2 before selling them on for £4 and cannot work from home.

Sam said: "If you walk past anybody selling The Big Issue, please go and buy it, because it really does help people change their lives for the better.

"And it's got loads of good stuff in it."

Lord John Bird, founder of The Big Issue, added: "Once again we find ourselves in the sticky stuff.

"We thank Sam wholeheartedly for his support. Please do as he asks and buy a copy of the magazine from your local vendor and if you can't then please subscribe online and help someone living in poverty to lift themselves up and out."