A BANK is to close its Holmfirth branch in the new year.

Yorkshire Bank said the branch at Victoria Street will close before the end of February.

Five staff involved will be offered jobs elsewhere in the region or given the chance to take voluntary severance.

Customers will have their accounts transferred to the branch at New Street, Huddersfield.

Yorkshire Bank announced in May that it planned to close 40 branches as part of cost-cutting measures.

The Holmfirth branch is among the final 15 branches chosen for closure.

The list also includes branches in Wakefield, Leeds and Bradford.

The closures will leave Yorkshire Bank with 192 branches on the high street.

Chief operating officer David Thorburn said the decision to axe branches was "extremely difficult" and added: "We regret any inconvenience caused to our customers."

But he said more and more customers were choosing phone and internet banking.

The branches to be axed were attracting an average of 3,800 customers each, against an industry average of 9,800, he said.

Mr Thorburn said the bank had written to customers of the branches to be closed explaining the decision and setting out how the bank would continue to provide services.