Telecoms giant BT is cutting 2,200 jobs under a major reorganisation of its call centre operations.

The company is spending £100 million on creating 30 "next generation multi-function customer contact centres".

But BT said the move meant the closure of 53 of its existing call centres over the next two years.

Eight more will close after four years. Sites in Bristol, Cheltenham, Taunton and Torquay will close in the South West.

The cuts, to begin in October, will not involve any compulsory redundancies thanks to an agreement with union bosses.

Around 68 per of staff affected by the closures are to be relocated to the new sites and almost everyone in the call centre operation will be affected.