DIY chain Homebase has announced it is to close a quarter of its stores after a review by its parent company found failings in its sales performance.

Home Retail Group, which also owns Argos and has branches in Wirral, said the number of stores would fall by around 25% from 323 this year, a loss of about 80 outlets in the period up to early 2018.

It is already shutting 30 in the current financial year.

A review was launched as the threat of online rivals and the rise of a generation "less skilled in DIY projects" threatened a sector already squeezed by the economic downturn over the last few years.

At this stage it is not known which stores face closure.

Home Retail Group told the Globe the closure was part of "a three-year plan" for Homebase to revitalise the business for the future" and were unable to comment on individual stores.

Its statement continued: "Part of the plan will be to right-size the store estate through scheduled lease expiries and a series of sales to other retailers.

"Once they are identified, our colleagues will be the first to be informed about any of the affected stores, and where possible we will redeploy colleagues to other stores within the Group, or encourage retailers buying our leases to offer roles within their businesses locally.

"These changes are necessary to make Homebase a stronger business for the future."