Newsquest is placing a “significant number” of its staff on furlough while all those who remain will face a wage cut in action to “minimise wider job losses” during the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis.

The local news publisher will go further than the Government’s emergency job retention scheme, which is capped at £30,000, and pay 80 per cent of the total salary for all furloughed staff.

It is understood only about ten per cent of Newsquest’s 650 editorial staff will be put on furlough, with advertising staff mainly affected.