ANGRY Norweb staff in Lancashire today condemned bosses over job cuts and fears that local electricity shops could be axed.

Employees in high street stores across the area have received letters asking for volunteers to take redundancy packages.

Today one East Lancashire shop worker described the situation as "appalling".

"There have been rumours for months but this has gutted us," said the worker, who did not want to be identified.

"They have said they are looking for 70 full-time job cuts in the shops.

"They have also said they might have to redeploy people to other shops in the area. "We're concerned that Norweb plan to close all the high street shops and concentrate on the out-of-town superstores.

"They talk about customer service but what about the little old ladies who come into the local shops to pay their bills and people who haven't got cars?"

Norweb operates 11 high street shops in East Lancashire, employing almost 100 staff.

A spokesman for Norweb, taken over by North West Water in a £1.8 billion deal last year, today said that there had been a reduction in demand for services from high street shops and a move to out-of-town stores.

"There is no pressure on staff. We have written to them all to ask if any of them wish to accept voluntary redundancy."

The spokesman said if any high street shops were to close, a facility would be made available locally for customers to pay bills.

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