Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is to close 162 branches across England and Wales – including Ellesmere Port's.

Announcing the news, the banking giant revealed it will mean the loss of 792 jobs.

The RBS branch on Whitby Road, Ellesmere Port, is earmarked for closure on August 9.

Customers will be expected to use NatWest branches instead, the Daily Post reports.

An RBS spokesman said: "We are no longer launching Williams & Glyn as a challenger bank, and we now have two branch networks operating in close proximity to each other; NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland, in England & Wales.

"As a result we have had to review our overall branch footprint in England and Wales and we've made the difficult decision to close a number of Royal Bank of Scotland branches.

"Customers of Royal Bank of Scotland in England & Wales will be able to use NatWest branches instead for their everyday banking needs."

North Wales branches which are among the 162 to be culled are Llandudno, Colwyn Bay, and Wrexham.

Unite, which represents the bank’s workforce, has said that the closure plans has shocked the staff.

Rob MacGregor Unite national officer said: “How does a taxpayer funded institution spend £1.8 billion on a failed IT project and in the next breath demolish the much needed local bank branches?"