BANKING giant Natwest is to close its branch in New Brighton later this year.

Falling customer numbers and the increasing use of internet banking are behind the company's decision to close its doors in Victoria Road on August 22.

The number of jobs that will be lost is not known at this stage.

Customers will be able to withdraw cash, check balances and pay bills free of charge at the nearby post office.

The nearest NatWest branch, situated just over a mile away in Wallasey Precinct, is currently being refurbished along with a branch in Port Sunlight.

On the decision to close its New Brighton branch, a spokesman for the bank company said: "The branch is open 24 hours a week and only has 55 customers who use the branch regularly each week.

"Over our whole branch network there has been a 30% drop in branch transactions since 2010 as people do their banking when and where it is convenient for them.

"We're investing £700m across the UK over the next three years to improve the way we serve our customers.

"This will include branch refurbishments, investment in digital banking and upgrading our ATM network.

"Eighty per cent of our customers are within a three mile radius of a branch, and when you include the Post Office network that rises to 90% of our customers being within one mile of a place where they can carry out their every day banking."