We, the undersigned, are calling on our local newspaper Yorkshire Live to urgently change the way it reports deaths within our community.

Time and again, families have experienced the heartbreak of discovering that the death of a loved one has been published online before they have had the chance to inform relatives and friends themselves. In some cases, families have respectfully asked for these articles to be removed, yet those requests have been refused, adding further pain during an already devastating time.

While we recognise the importance of a free press and the public's right to information, we believe this should never come at the expense of basic human compassion and dignity.

We are asking the newspaper to commit to the following:

Place compassion and respect for grieving families at the heart of its reporting.

Avoid publishing news of a person's death until there is confidence that the immediate family has been informed whenever reasonably possible.

Consider requests from bereaved families to remove or amend online articles where appropriate.

Introduce a clear and transparent bereavement reporting policy and make it publicly available.

Our community deserves journalism that informs without causing unnecessary distress. We hope the newspaper will listen to the voices of the people it serves and adopt practices that reflect empathy, respect, and decency.

By signing this petition, we ask the newspaper to review its policies and work with the community to ensure that no more families experience avoidable pain at one of the hardest times in their lives.