The Sun resurrects topless models on Page 3 ending days of rumours

So far it has not been officially confirmed and may yet prove to be an elaborate stunt - but reports that the Sun newspaper has called time on page three has sparked sharp debate.

There has been no topless model in the paper since Friday - a move which has been welcomed by ministers and campaigners, but not by all of the models themselves.

ITV News correspondent Juliet Bremner reports:

Television presenter and former page 3 model Melinda Messenger has issued a statement saying it is a "good decision" to end page 3 in the Sun newspaper.

The Daily Star newspaper has issued a statement saying it is 'proud to continue the Great British page 3 tradition", saying it is as "British as roast beef and Yorkshire pud".

Topless models have been absent from The Sun in recent days, sparking rumours that it has decided to drop Page 3 - but do you think they should grace the pages of the newspaper?

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While the Education Secretary Nicky Morgan today welcomed the demise of the Sun's page 3 topless women, it's not clear where the Prime Minister stands on the newspaper's apparent policy shift.

His spokesman told lobby journalists that David Cameron 'thinks that what newspapers publish is a matter for newspapers’.

He refused to say whether the Prime Minister believed it was a good thing or not that the newspaper had dropped images of topless women. He also wouldn't be drawn on whether Mr Cameron was happy to have the newspaper open on page three at his breakfast table.

Earlier, Nicky Morgan called the decision of The Sun to show women with their breasts covered by bikini tops as ‘a long overdue decision'.

A former Page 3 model has defended her ex-employers' publication of topless pictures - saying: "You don't buy The Sun if you really want to read hard-hitting news".

Nicola McLean told ITV's Good Morning Britain that she agreed with No More Page 3 campaigners that "boobs aren't news" - but said she believed they have a place in a tabloid paper.

Presenter Susanna Reid jumped to the defence of the red top, pointing out that the paper's editor "might take issue" with the statement.

But McLean replied: "Well I take issue with him getting rid of Page 3, so bring it on."

During the interview, she also denied that the feature was outdated, and said she did not feel it was a "sexual equality" issue.

Girlguiding UK has welcomed news that The Sun is covering up its topless Page 3 models.

The organisation, which has more than 500,000 young members, lent its support to the No More Page 3 campaign in protest at the impression it gives girls of what is expected of them, calling the controversial feature "disrespectful and embarrassing".

Members of the No More Page 3 campaign have celebrated an apparent decision by The Sun to cover up its models in recent days - having them pose in their underwear rather than topless.

While The Sun has yet to officially confirm or deny the reports, campaigners have called it a "great day for people power" - and said while there is more to be done, it was a "very important" first step.

The statement added that while models appearing in their underwear was "still not equality", it indicated a shift in societal attitudes.

Former Page 3 girl Jodie Marsh has hit out at campaigners against the controversial daily feature in The Sun, after newspaper bosses began covering up its usually-topless models.

Taking to Twitter, she wrote that the "so-called 'feminists' really annoy" her, adding: