WEEKENDS are about to get better in Inverclyde with a newly expanded Tele. 

The Greenock Telegraph was founded in 1857 and since 1863 it's been published six days a week. 

But from next week the Tele will produce a bumper weekend paper, which will be on sale across both Saturday and Sunday - one paper for your whole weekend.

Our newly expanded 56-page Weekend Tele will boast fantastic features, lifestyle content, local news and eight pages of nostalgia all for just £1.20. 

Much-loved Tele icon Scoop will also return to the weekend pages and eagle-eyed readers will have a chance to win £50 if they spot the dog hidden on the pages and enter the weekly competition. 

Scoop will return in the expanded Weekend Tele (Image: George Munro) Gillian Murphy, West Scotland Group Editor, said: "I hope that readers will love their new Weekend Tele.

"This expanded edition will mean we get to tell more of the local stories readers enjoy. 

"This is also an opportunity to diversify some of our content with some more feature and lifestyle content which will make for ideal weekend reading. 

"Our talented reporters will be covering all the usual local news and events as well as some new interests and our new sport reporter is eager to boost our Inverclyde sports coverage at back of the book. 

"We have some amazing new contributors as well as some familiar faces joining the Weekend Tele and they cover a range of topics including astronomy, cooking, and nature. 

"This is an investment in print, in digital content, and in Inverclyde and our team can't wait to get started."

Inverclyde-born journalist and former Tele reporter Amy Shearer is returning to her home-town paper as a feature writer and columnist. 

The writer-at-large will be telling it how it is in her weekly column where she'll mull over everything from relationships and social media to local government, while Amy's features will include detailed interviews and lift the lid on the untold stories of the area.

Inverclyde is a stunning place to live, work, and visit and former Tele editor David Carnduff will champion the outdoors in his new column.

David, who lives locally, is passionate about nature, birdwatching, and walking routes and he will be sharing his insights every week with Tele readers. 

The Weekend Tele will also publish eight pages of nostalgia content in our new Memories section. Our reporters have been delving though the archives to bring readers the best snippets of news from 50, 75, 100 and even 125 years ago. 

We will also share old photos of familiar faces and serialise our popular Then & Now feature, which looks at old and modern Inverclyde to showcase how the area has changed. 

Niall McGilp, Morton club historian, will be at the helm of the wonderful new Football Memories page, in which he'll select the key moments and players through history and share their stories. 

Andy Ritchie, Greenock Morton legend, will also be contributing a column to the sports pages where he provide his take on Scottish football, Morton, and more.

On a four-week rotation the Weekend Tele will feature local experts including Stephen McAllister, who will share his insights on the night sky; chef Ben Egan, a popular restauranteur who will provide fantastic cooking dishes and recipes; Inverclyde Community Food Network, who will share easy, accessible recipes and have great tips on zero waste; and our Backstage section which will champion the local music scene. 

This is all in addition to the Tele's brilliant local news pages and our eight-page View of Scotland supplement as well as our 16-page TV feature and guide.

The Weekend Tele will be on sale for the first time on the weekend of December 7 and 8.