CLITHEROE'S MP is seeking an urgent meeting with Santander bosses over the Spanish bank's proposals to close its branch in the town.

Ribble Valley Tory backbencher Nigel Evans hopes to meet company executives early next month to object to their plans to shut the outlet at One Castle Street.

It is one of three Santander branches in East Lancashire earmarked for closure as part of its latest rationalisation programme.

The other two are Ramsbottom and Briercliffe Road in Burnley.

Mr Evans said: “Over the past few years my constituency has seen its fair share of banks close, from Barclays in Whalley to Natwest in Bamber Bridge.

"Whilst I fully appreciate that customers are changing the ways they bank and increasingly going online, we may find ourselves at the point where there are no banks left in the Ribble Valley.

“Clitheroe has a considerable population of elderly people who prefer to bank in-branch, the only way to do that would be to travel over 11 miles to either Burnley or Blackburn.

"I understand Santander’s reasoning behind the closures, but contingencies must be made in rural areas like the Ribble Valley to ensure customers are not completely cut off.

“I will be meeting with representatives of Santander to further discuss the closure of the branch and solutions going forward for the employees who will lose their employment.”