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The Sun kicked off September by slashing its cover price in London and the South East from 35p and launching street sales in the capital. It was widely seen as a move to ensure the tabloid did not fall below the 3m threshold.

The result was a September circulation of 3,213,756, which is up 1.76% on August and is its highest monthly figure since January. Its six-month average is down 2.25% year on year to 3,112,540.

The Sun was the best performer in the popular market, with main rival the Daily Mirror up month on month by 0.15% to 1,584,742. The Mirror's six-month average is down 4.91% to 1,565,221. The Daily Star fell 2.64% month on month to 803,726 and its six-month average is flat at 798,249.

Overall, it was the quality papers that had a good month, perhaps on the back of an eventful few weeks in politics. They were up 2.02% on August as a category, compared to the popular market's 0.54% rise.

The Independent stood out with a 4.85% rise to 251,470, though its six-month average is down 3.79% to 244,088.

The Financial Times notched up a 3.37% rise to 441,219 and it is still the only daily paper with a positive six-month average, up 0.83% to 440,731.

The Guardian matched the FT's monthly rise, with a 3.32% boost to 367,546, but its six-month average is down 3.29% to 364,570.

The Times rose 2.45% month on month to 654,482 and its six-month average is down 4.29% to 638,651.

The Daily Telegraph lagged its competitors, rising just 0.37% on August to 890,973, though its six-month average is fairly steady, falling just 0.87% to 891,976.

In the mid-market the Daily Mail outdid the Daily Express, rising 1.12% month on month to 2,365,499. The Mail's six-month average is down 1.91% to 2,334,687.

The Express fell 1.52% on August to 814,921 and its six-month average is down 5.3% to 789,639.

Sunday broadsheet circulation was boosted by wall to wall coverage of the election that never happened, free giveaways and the return of August holidaymakers.

Gordon Brown may have suffered a dip in the polls, but The Observer and The Sunday Times piled on sales.

The Observer reported the biggest monthly circulation rise in the quality market, with its month-on-month figure up 6.69% to 472,252 copies.

The paper gave away a free Prince DVD in September, but its six-month average figure is down by 1.94% to 454,578 copies.

The Sunday Times' month-on-month circulation rose 4.55% to 1,244,218 copies in September, leaving its six-month average down by 8.92% to 1,204,288 copies.

The Independent on Sunday and The Sunday Telegraph both reported small increases. The IoS reported a month-on-month increase of just 0.92% to 213,566 copies, with its six-month average down by just 1.10% to 223,266 copies.

The Sunday Telegraph was up 0.54% month on month to 644,828 copies, and its six-month average declined by 2.02% to 648,791 copies.

In the red-top sector, the News of the World made the biggest strides, with its month-on-month circulation up 2.81% to 3,446,476 copies. Its six-month average is down by 5.28% to 3,323,900 copies.

The Sunday Mirror boosted its month-on-month circulation by 1.81% to 1,451,980 copies, while its six-month average declined 2.41% to 1,417,648 copies.

In the mid-market tabloids, the Sunday Express suffered a 7.75% month-on-month decline to 727,439 copies, with its six-month average down by 8.09% to 751,417 copies.

Sector leader, The Mail on Sunday, boosted its month-on-month circulation by 1.87% to 2,348,982 copies, while its six-month average is down by just 0.47% to 2,309,094 copies.