The station, which previously broadcast digitally in London, the North West and the West Midlands, will now be available to 51.6m people in the UK, as well as an international audience online.

Glyn Jones, operations director of national digital radio multiplex operator Digital One, said the move was "good news for listeners and the radio industry".

"It delivers on the promise of adding choice for listeners up and down the country and further builds the momentum for digital radio which ...