ALLIANCE and Leicester has announced its Swindon branch will not face closure.

Yesterday the bank announced it would be closing 46 branches, with the loss of 310 jobs, from October 1, after carrying out a review.

But Swindon's Regent Street branch has made the cut, along with 253 others across the country.

A spokeswoman said: "The review looked at different factors such as location, the amount of usage the branch gets and the overall sales, which is how much new business the branch gets and its potential for the future.

"We are seeing a change in the way people are doing banking, and the way the branches are used. Now the internet is used far more and branches are for complex advice like mortgages rather than getting cash out or paying bills."

Alliance and Leicester customers with current or card-based savings accounts will still be able to use Post Office branches for transactions.

Alliance and Leicester Group Union of Staff (Algus) attacked the closures saying the bank had broken an agreement with the union and has threatened legal action.