By Benjamin Turner Trainee Reporter

A controversial newspaper that has been accused of spreading misinformation has been delivered to homes in Cambridge.

Unsolicited copies of the Epoch Times appeared in letterboxes this week with the front page 'How the Chinese Community Party Endangered the World'.

According to its website, the Epoch Times "Don’t follow the unethical trend of agenda-driven journalism, but instead use our principles of Truth and Tradition as [a]guiding light to report honestly."

However, the paper has been accused of publishing misinformation about coronavirus, which was allegedly sent to British councillors in April, the New Statesman reported.

Last year, its advertising was banned from Facebook over accusations it was publishing conspiracy content.

'Why is it being posted through my door?'

One woman living in Queen Edith, Cambridge, said the paper arrived earlier this week alongside her usual takeaway flyers.

"I hadn't heard of it before," she told CambsLive. "It said on it: 'a factual and honest newspaper', and I said to my husband it's dodgy if a newspaper needs to say that."

In another part of Cambridge, a man in Sawston was also shocked to receive a copy of the paper.

Reacting on social media, he said: "What is this s**t? Why is it being posted through my door? Take your ***** rag [Epoch Times] and kindly do one."

What is the Epoch Times?

The Epoch Times, founded in America in 2000, is published in 35 countries in 21 different languages, including Korean and Turkish.

It is labelled as having a 'Right' political bias and a medium confidence rating by an established media-checking website.

The paper has been linked to Falun Gong, a Chinese religious movement that was banned by the Chinese Communist Party in 1999.

On its website, the Epoch Times says: "The founders, as well as some staff members, are Falun Gong practitioners. But this is an issue of personal belief and is unrelated to our business."

What's in the paper?

The 'special edition' of The Epoch Times appears to contain at least seven pages of articles, all relating to Covid-19 and the Chinese Communist  Party.

Below the front-page headline, there is an advert encouraging readers to subscribe.

One article headline reads: 'How China's Cover-Up Led to a Global Pandemic'.

Another is: 'Chinese Communist Subversion of WHO [World Health Organisation] Undermined Global Pandemic Response'.

It is not clear whether other copies sent out were the same.

'Distributed to select areas'

When approached for comment, the Epoch Times directed CambsLive to a prepared statement on their 'special edition' covering the coronavirus pandemic.

It reads: "The special edition, which contains a collection of Epoch Times articles, is being distributed to select areas, as we believe it contains important information for people, as well as allows people to become familiar with our content and subscribe."

The paper was initially distributed in America and has been released further after a "good response", it says.

Others across the UK have also reported receiving the newspaper, but it is not clear how many copies have been delivered.

'Reject the Chinese Communist Party' petition

The statement continues: "While the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] censors all information in the Chinese media, our reporting on the coronavirus has been a vital service to our readers.

"Some have told us that it allowed them early on to take the necessary precautions to protect their families."

The Epoch Times is also running a 'Reject the Chinese Communist Party' petition, which 103,000 people have allegedly signed.