The man who was once Co-operative Bank's fifth chief in seven years has announced he is to step down, saying his job with the company is done, and fresh blood can take it forward.

Andrew Bester will leave when the board can find a successor for him, but he will stay in place until then, the company confirmed on Tuesday.

Mr Bester said: "At this point, I believe the bank is on the right path and it is time for a new CEO to continue the journey to be the digital ethical bank.

"In the meantime, I remain focused on working with colleagues to provide the support our customers need."

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He steps down after just two-and-a-half years in the role, though he said he has achieved much of what he set out to do in that time.

"My ambition was to complete the major transformation phase of the turnaround and for our franchise to show resilience," he said.

The bank added that he had "successfully led a complex transformation".

Mr Bester was seen as a pair of hands when he was appointed in 2018, with a mission to steady the ship after five years of turmoil.

He took over from Liam Coleman, who had replaced Niall Booker in 2016, who in turn took the job in 2013 from Barry Tootell, appointed in 2011 to succeed Neville Richardson.

The five chiefs oversaw some of the toughest times in the bank's nearly 150-year history.