Trinity Mirror has decided to retain the eight free weekly newspaper titles it was planning to sell to Johnston Press for £16m.

Following an announcement by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which approved the transfer of only four of the eight titles, Trinity Mirror has decided not to go ahead with the deal.

The Competition Commission ruled that the transfer of the Brackley & Towcester Post, Derby Trader, Harborough Herald & Post and The Trader from Trinity Mirror to Johnston could go ahead.

But it blocked the acquisition of four other titles: the East Northants Herald & Post series, the Northampton Herald & Post, the Peterborough Herald & Post and the Stamford Herald & Post.

The Commission found that in seven of the eight cases the transfers would give Johnston more than 80 per cent of the local newspaper market in the area concerned, and in four cases - in and around Northampton and Peterborough - virtually 100 per cent.

It said it believed that the loss of competition could have harmful effects for advertisers and readers.