Rachael Campey has quit as editor of the Yorkshire Post, after 18 months in the role.

She is not serving notice and her deputy Duncan Hamilton is acting editor.

Staff were told yesterday afternoon in a statement from the newspaper's owners, Johnston Press.

Rachael has had a tough time at the title since taking over, with some journalists staging a vote of "no confidence" in her.

Yorkshire Post Newspapers managing editor Chris Green told staff: "Rachael has made a valuable contribution to both the Yorkshire Post and the company.

"I would like to place on record my appreciation for the work she has done."

Rachael herself told staff that she would like to thank them for their help in increasing circulation during her time as editor.

Her sudden departure has been welcomed by the National Union of Journalists as "closing an unfortunate chapter" in the paper's history.

A statement from the joint fathers of chapel at the Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post, Peter Johnson and Peter Lazenby, said: "Since Johnston Press took over Yorkshire Post Newspapers three years ago we have been building a positive relationship with the company.

"Ms Campey came from a different background and management culture which did not sit well with staff at the Yorkshire Post, and which led to the vote of no confidence."

Rachael joined the paper from her job as deputy news editor of The Times in spring last year.

Before that she was editor of the Evening Herald in Plymouth. She has also edited the Exeter Express & Echo and was assistant news editor of the Coventry Evening Telegraph after starting her career on the Solihull News.

She replaced Tony Watson who left at the end of 2002 after 13 years and was the first woman editor at the paper.

The Yorkshire Post has a circulation of around 61,000 and is this year celebrating its 250th anniversary.

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