Whisper it lest it get about, but I think the Sun is quietly weaning itself off page 3. The paper has not run its usual topless picture since Thursday.

It hasn't given up publishing pictures of scantily-clad women, of course. But the long-run routine of publishing a model smiling vacantly at the camera with her breasts on show has been disrupted.

Friday's page was devoted to shot of a naked Kim Kardashian with her nipple concealed. The Saturday and Sunday issues, as has long been the case, featured non-topless pictures.

Today, across pages 2 and 3, are a set of tastefully clothed pictures of a former Coronation Street star, Michelle Keegan, on a modelling shoot in Majorca.

I don't think the campaigners of No More Page 3 should break out the champagne just yet. Tomorrow will undoubtedly see the "check 'em Tuesday" model and I imagine there will be a return to the normal page 3 "girl" the following day.

According to an official Sun spokesman, "it's often the case that if we get exclusive pictures from our more popular female stars we will give them a page 2-3 spread."

Aside from the pictures of Kim K and Michelle K, he pointed out other occasions in the past months when pictures of Cheryl Cole and Mariah Carey have replaced page 3 models.

The news may hearten the No More Page campaigners after a recent setback. Some of their supporters who shop with Tesco received an email from the supermarket chain's customer service executive, Yvonne Edwards, in which she promised that a head office meeting was being held to review its policy on the shelf placement of publications featuring topless and nude pictures of women.

Campaigners had been pressing for such papers and magazines to be taken out of the view of children.

But Tesco suddenly withdrew its pledge. An official Tesco tweet addressed to @ChildEyesUK - which is campaigning to stop sexualised images being displayed at child height in shops and public spaces - stated:

"Sorry for the confusion caused. There is not a meeting tomorrow. There aren't any plans to move the newspapers in store."

But Lucy Holmes and her No More Page 3 colleagues have clearly had an effect. Their petition urging Sun editor David Dinsmore to "take the bare boobs out of The Sun" has now attracted 203,000 signatures.

The Sun and stars align to improve child literacy

Meanwhile, the Sun is stressing once more its commitment to helping children, and society, by doing something practical to boost child literacy rates.

It has teamed up with children's authors and entertainers to introduce a new weekly feature that encourages parents to read in company with their children.

David Walliams, Michael Morpurgo and Jeff Kinney are among authors who have written 10-minute stories for publication in the coming Saturday (non-page 3) editions of the Sun.

Walliams said: "This country is falling behind in literacy levels so it's so important for children to get help. Reading shouldn't be a chore. It's a lovely connection you can have with your children."

The Sun's "Get Kids Reading" campaign is part of a wider "Read On, Get On" campaign with Save the Children that calls on the government, local organisations and parents to tackle illiteracy. It aims to raise literacy levels so that every child born this year can read well by the time they are 11 in 2025.

According to a report on behalf of Save the Children, Britain currently has one of the worst literacy records in Europe, with one in six adults not being able to read to the standard set for 11-year olds.

"Illiteracy in Britain should be something our schoolchildren know only from the pages of their history books," says Dinsmore. "With exclusive stories by top children's authors and free e-book offers, we will be helping parents find ways to make reading an easy everyday part of life."

Justin Forsyth, of Save the Children said: "We applaud the Sun for getting behind this campaign, and look forward to working with its readers to restore literacy to its rightful levels in the UK."

And education secretary Nicky Morgan is also endorsing the campaign. "Eradicating illiteracy and innumeracy is central to our plan for education," she said.

Other contributors who have supplied 10-minute reads to the Sun are David Baddiel, Derek Landy, Susanna Reid and Rizzle Kicks.