SANTANDER is closing more than 40 branches, including Newton Abbot.

A total of 44 branches will close, putting close to 300 jobs at risk as the Spanish-owned bank says 96 per cent of its transactions are now done digitally.

The Newton Abbot branch will close on May 19.

Last year, Santander announced plans to close 95 of its branches.

Government ministers have criticised the closure of bank branches, saying it restricts access to cash, partially for the elderly and vulnerable people.

But Santander says that, where a branch is closing, a Santander representative will operate from a nearby banking hub or Santander Local - locations in libraries and community centres

A spokesperson for Santander said: ‘We will continue to invest in both our branch network - comprising of full-service branches, counter-free branches, reduced-hour branches, Santander Locals, and our increasingly popular work cafes - as well as our digital banking services, so we can be there to support our customers however they choose to bank with us’.