Thelondonpaper, the News International freesheet set to close in the next few weeks, was the largest grower amongst the handful of daily papers to increase in their readership in the year to the end of June.

Readership of the Financial Times, The Guardian, the Times, Express and freesheets Metro and London Lite also continued to grow year on year, according to latest NRS figures released today.

However, it was thelondonpaper which led the field, despite owner publisher News International announcing last week that it was to shut the loss-making title.