It marks the first interactive version of the newspaper, designed specifically for the iPad.

Users can download and subscribe to the app for free from Apple’s Newstand section at its iStore, giving them access to a number of the printed version's regular features, as well as its national and international news.

Each edition of the tablet version will be available to download from 4am Monday to Friday. 

Metro executive director Jamie Walters said: "We are determined to enable our audience to read and enjoy Metro wherever and whenever it suits them. It is very exciting to be both the only national free daily newspaper in the UK, but also the only free daily publication within Newsstand.

"This is not a website-like product. It is very much a daily edition, designed to replicate the paper reading experience on a device built for consuming high quality media."

The publication is the UK's largest circulated free daily, with 1.4m copies distributed everY morning across 50 UK cities.