The World Association of Newspapers and campaign groups Liberty and Hacked Off have joined the chorus of condemnation over a police harassment notice issued to Croydon Advertiser reporter Gareth Davies.

Press Gazette revealed on Wednesday that Davies had been visited by officers and threatened with arrest as a consequence of one doorstep visit and two emails sent to convicted fraudster Neelam Desai. Davies is investigating allegations she conned men out of thousands after meeting them on a marriage website.

The World Association of Newspaper told The Times that the case was "an embarrassment to the authorities and damages the international reputation of the UK”.