ROYAL Bank of Scotland owner NatWest Group is to swing the axe on a further 32 branches, citing the shift to mobile and digital banking.

The closures, which are focused south of the Border, include 11 branches that trade as RBS. The remaining 21 are NatWest branches.

Thirty one of the branches earmarked for closure are in England, with the RBS Cardiff City branch in Wales also set to be shuttered.

Around 12 jobs are at risk as a result of the move, with the bulk of staff affected moving to other branches.

The bank has not said when the branches will close.

The institution changed its parent name from Royal Bank of Scotland to NatWest Group in July 2020. However, the Royal Bank brand has been retained as a trading name for branches, mostly in Scotland.

NatWest said: "As with many industries, most of our customers are shifting to mobile and online banking, because it's faster and easier for people to manage their financial lives.

"We understand and recognise that digital solutions aren't right for everyone or every situation, and that when we close branches we have to make sure that no-one is left behind.

"We take our responsibility seriously to support the people who face challenges in moving online, so we are investing to provide them with support and alternatives that work for them."

The cuts would leave NatWest Group with a network of 814 branches around the UK.

NatWest is due to publish its full-year results on Friday.