Johnston Press has closed the Perth Herald and Post, 18 months after it launched.

The last edition of the free weekly hit the streets this week and its office has now been closed.

The two journalists and eight sales staff who had worked on the title are understood to still be in consultation with the company.

The paper had been part of The Scotsman Publications Limited which Johnston bought in a £160m deal last year, and its future came under the spotlight as part of a review of the company.

It had been distributed to 22,000 homes in Perth, Bridge of Earn and Scone and Kinross.

The Herald and Post in Edinburgh, West Lothian and Fife are not affected.

Last month Scotsman Publications managing director Michael Johnston told HoldtheFrontPage: “”The Perth Herald and Post is a very small paper which has been going 18 months.

“It is a distinct publication which doesn’t overlap with any other Johnston Press titles and is quite removed from the group’s other titles in Scotland.”