NatWest is to close six branches across Norfolk and Suffolk next year due to 'radical changes' in the way customers use its services.

Between May 17 and June 27, 2018 the branches in Beccles, Thetford, Gorleston, Holt, Hunstanton and North Walsham will close following a decision by parent company RBS to shut 197 NatWest outlets nationally.

It is the latest in a slew of banks to announce closures, following revelations from Halifax and Lloyds Bank earlier this week that they would close branches in Norwich, Acle, Bungay, Halesworth and Southwold – resulting in 99 job losses – branch closures and job cuts at Yorkshire Building Society, and the possible loss of Norwich and Peterborough Building Society branches in Norwich and Ipswich.

All have cited a changing relationship with customers, as more choose to bank online, as the reason for reducing their high street presence.

Data from NatWest showed between 84% and 89% of customers using the affected Norfolk branches 'already bank in other ways locally', with in-branch transactions declining by an average of 30% since 2012.

Meanwhile an RBS spokesman said the number of customers using its branches had fallen by 40% since 2014.

But concerns remain for those who prefer to bank in person, who are watching their 'nearest branch' get further and further away.

In a statement Natwest said it was 'communicating with our customers affected by the closure and proactively contacting vulnerable customers and regular branch users'.

These are the dates when the affected NatWest branches in Norfolk and Suffolk will close:

Beccles – May 17

Thetford – May 22

Gorleston – June 6

Holt – June 13

Hunstanton – June 20

North Walsham – June 27