The announcement, made in a page two leader this morning, signals the arrival of Britain's first "all-compact quality newspaper".

The paper described the response to the compact edition, which was first launched on September 30 last year, as "overwhelming".

The paper, which is printed by Mirror Colour Print in Oldham and Watford, has seen its circulation increase by 15% since the initial move to a tabloid edition.

The Oldham plant stopped printing the broadsheet version in April, while the Watford plant will print its last broadsheet edition tonight.

The paper said: "The arguments for switching to exclusively compact format seem overwhelming. The number of readers who prefer the broadsheet version is now so small that it simply does not make business sense to continue to publish it.

"The resources and time that we invest in producing two formats could, we believe, be more usefully invested in continually improving the content of Britain's only quality compact."

Sales of the broadsheet edition currently account for just 10% of the paper's 258,000 circulation. The Saturday edition has seen 20% year-on-year sales growth since it went tabloid in January.

The broadsheet edition has only been available in the Carlton TV region for the past two weeks, after it was withdrawn in all other areas of the country.

The Independent is offering half-price vouchers for the whole of next week to appease those readers who still prefer the broadsheet edition.

Story by Josh Brooks