NatWest has announced it is going to close eight Cumbrian branches.

It will shut its outlets in Ambleside, Cockermouth, Egremont, Grange-over-Sands, Keswick, Millom, Ulverston and Wigton by the end of October.

The firm has said closing them was a "difficult decision" but has happened because of changing banking habits.

She added: "We are communicating with our customers affected by the closure and proactively contacting vulnerable and regular branch customers.

"We have listened closely to feedback from local communities and have extended the time between announcing our decision and the branch closure to six months.

"This has been done in order to ensure our customers have time to consider the right banking options for them."

She also said NatWest would help staff who were not confident using digital banking.

"We know that not all of our customers are comfortable and familiar with using online or mobile banking, so we have created a new specialist taskforce of NatWest TechXperts who will be dedicated to supporting our customers with training and support with digital skills," she said.

"From next month at least one TechXpert will be available in each NatWest branch."

The first branch to close will be in Egremont, which will close on September 26, while the last will be Cockermouth's on October 11.