THE Times passes a significant milestone this week, as we celebrate publishing our 2,000th edition.

Since 1976 the paper has striven to cover all the important issues in the Okehampton area. The Times was launched as a tabloid and was owned by Mirror Group Newspapers and later by the Plymouth-based West of England Newspapers. It came under the ownership of Tindle Newspapers in 1984.

The title had a tough job on its hands, competing against the established Western Times, but the Western Times ceased publishing in the late 1980s, leaving the Okehampton Times as the premier title for the area.

The paper has had several homes in the town during that time, working from first floor offices in Fore Street, and offices in St James' Street and East Street. In 2014 the Times office moved in to the Ockment Centre, bringing the paper closer to the heart of the community in this key hub of activity.

Numerous reporters have come and gone in the time that the paper has been running, including Denis Sargent who played a key role in the paper's success during its formative years. Former Okehampton reporter Alison Stephenson has since gone on to become Tavistock Newspapers' deputy editor, and the post is currently filled by Tom French, who has been the man on the ground in Okehampton for nearly four years.

During the 39 years since the paper was first published, Margaret Thatcher became the first female Prime Minister, the Queen has celebrated silver, gold and diamond jubilees, Prince Charles married Diana and Prince William married Catherine Middleton, the Channel Tunnel linking London to Paris officially opened and London hosted the 2012 Olympic Games.

Here is just a small selection of some of our more significant front pages and front page pictures from over the years.