Morrisons bosses were today understood to be ‘perplexed’ over the resignation of a senior executive hired to oversee the day-to-day running of its new online grocery business only weeks after he joined the Bradford-based retailer.

British-born George Dymond returned from Australia to become operations director of Morrisons.com online grocery business after holding senior roles with Melbourne-based retailer Coles.

A Morrisons spokesman refused to comment on the resignation but said the supermarket group was ‘cock-a-hoop’ over the start of online food deliveries which will be extended to Bradford, Skipton and other parts of Yorkshire next week.