CO-OP Insurance is to shed 170 jobs across the country - but says it will create more employment in Manchester.

The Co-op Insurance Society is closing 14 of its offices around Britain, with the loss of 170 jobs.

Offices in Belfast, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Cardiff, Plymouth, Sutton, and Maidstone will go.

It is also proposing closures in Watford, Chorley, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol, Southampton and Glasgow.

But the society says it will be balancing the job losses by the creation of new jobs in Manchester, Bury St Edmunds, Stoke, Nottingham and Rugby.

It follows the announcement of the loss of 2,000 jobs in July last year.