FIVE East Lancashire Netto stores will go to be replaced by rival supermarkets after a takeover by Asda.

Outlets in Darwen and Chorley will reopen as Asda supermarkets later this year after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) decided not to oppose the £778million deal.

But the Netto stores in Blackburn and Burnley will be taken over by Lincolnshire-based retailer Haldanes and Accrington’s will reopen as Morrisons following an OFT order over competition rules.

Asda said it would double staff numbers at the new Darwen and Chorley stores, meaning dozens of new roles are set to be created.

The new supermarkets will also increase the number of products being sold from 1,800 to 10,000 and Asda bosses promised consumers would be able to complete a full weekly shop in the outlets.

Employees at the Netto stores in Blackburn, Burnley and Accrington will have their contracts transferred to Haldanes or Morrisons.

Judith McKenna, Asda’s chief financial officer, said: “The good news for shoppers in this part of the world is that there’ll be no premium to shop in one of our smaller stores.

"We’ll charge the same low prices you’ll find in any of our stores.”

However, the OFT must rubber stamp the takeover in late spring, meaning the new stores should be up and running by the autumn.

Asda superstores are already open in Accrington, Blackburn and Burnley, towns whose Netto stores are being sold on to third parties under orders from the OFT.

However, the Netto outlet in Chorley, which is being turned into an Asda, is only one mile from where the supermarket giant plans a new 44,000 sq ft superstore at the junction of Bolton Street, Pall Mall and Market Street.