Norse has confirmed that it has axed 20 jobs in its grounds division.

The facilities and management company said that it is shutting five sites in Attleborough, Aylsham, Gressenhall, Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn as a result.

In January Norse said it had entered a consultation with staff "in the face of fierce marketplace competition".

MORE: Your rights if you have a holiday booked during the coronavirus outbreakA Norse Group spokesman said: "We have now completed our staff consultation concerning the future of our grounds division and concluded that operations at five sites around the county, with the exception of Norwich, should cease from April 1.

"This will mean the loss of around 20 jobs, although we are pleased to have been able to redeploy a further five staff.

"We have not taken this decision lightly, but the service has not been cost effective for a number of years We will retain a grounds presence in Norwich, where we believe there is great potential to develop a profitable business in the future.

"We will be contacting our customers affected by the closures about potential alternative providers and would like to thank them for their patience during what has been a sensitive time."

A member of staff, who wished to remain anonymous, told the EDP in January they believed the decision to keep the Norwich site was "not just business, it's political."

"They're choosing to keep Lakenham open because of the work it does for the County Council," they said.

The council owns 100% of the Norse Group.

The Norse spokesman denied this, saying: "It's entirely a business decision based on where the majority of the work is."