A chief reporter who was recently forced to flee her home and also convicted of drug driving in a separate incident has left a regional daily.

Amy Fenton has confirmed her departure from South Cumbria daily The Mail and says she has now moved to be closer to her family.

HTFP reported in May how Amy, pictured, was forced to flee her home after receiving death threats online, with police action subsequently being taken against a number of people who sent her abuse.

As a result, she was invited by John Whittingdale, Minister of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, to address a new National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, which has been set up to look at protection of journalists in the UK.

Separately, Amy was banned from driving for 12 months in July after admitting drug driving and possession of cocaine before Workington magistrates.

Mail owner Newsquest has declined to comment on Amy’s departure.

Amy told HTFP: “I’ve left and moved to be closer to my family and am finishing off my book ‘Fair Game: A newspaper reporter’s account of life in the firing line’ which is in the final stages of production.”

The threats which prompted Amy to flee her home came after serious allegations of sexual and physical abuse were made against a local businessman on social media, with some readers wrongly claiming there was a “conspiracy between the press and the police to cover up crimes” amid protests being held in Barrow-in-Furness over an alleged grooming gang operation.

Police in the town responded to the allegation by confirming a year-long investigation had found “no evidence” of a gang of men exploiting young women in Barrow.