NORWEB shops across East Lancashire are set to close at the start of next month with scores of job losses.

Eighty-three of the electrical group's high street shops, most of them in East Lancashire's town centres, are being closed at the start of March, after the takeover by Comet.

Closures are set to take place in all major towns including Blackburn, Burnley, Darwen and Clitheroe.

The move will mean people will have to pay electricity bills at the post office or through their bank accounts. Most of Norweb's out-of-town stores will merge with nearby Comet stores following the shake-up of the company.

The neighbouring stores at Blackburn's Whitebirk retail park are being converted into one large building.

Staff at the Norweb shops have been warned not to talk to the Press and Comet are refusing to reveal how many workers will lose their jobs. United Utilities, who also own North West Water, sold off the Norweb chain in a controversial move late last year.

A former Norweb worker who asked to remain anonymous said: " United Utilities offered some staff work at their headquarters but there are still a lot of people being made redundant."

The closures have included Norweb's head offices and the defunct company's delivery fleet.

The former worker added: "A lot of staff were very upset about losing their jobs but the public will also be affected.

"A lot of elderly people like to come into the shops to get their bills and queries sorted out, from now on everything will have to be done over the phone."

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