Yates leaves wife for bosses PR

Britain's most senior anti-terrorism police chief has separated from his wife.

John Yates, 50, an Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, split with Louise after 25 years, it was reported today.

The father of two is reportedly now in a relationship with Scotland Yard press officer Felicity Ross, who works for Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson.

Mr Yates led the inquiry into royal butler Paul Burrell and the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? fraud case.

He liaised with the family of Jean Charles de Menezes, shot dead on the Tube by police after being mistaken for a suicide bomber, and headed the collapsed "cash-for-peerages" inquiry.

He was tipped as a future Commissioner and is known as "Yates of the Yard".

Mr Yates became the £180,000-a-year head of specialist operations in April following the resignation of Bob Quick, who was photographed with documents detailing an al Qaeda plot.