Almost 1,000 people work at the call centre

Lloyds TSB wants to close its Newcastle centre, where almost 1,000 people work, and transfer services to India.

Members of the Lloyds TSB Group Union were mounting a demonstration in Newcastle city centre outside the bank's Grey Street branch.

Newcastle council leader Tony Flynn was joining protestors and has hit out at the bank's plans.

He said city council bosses provided help to the bank when it relocated to the Grey Street.

A spokeswoman for Lloyds TSB said the decision had been a difficult one to make and that any staff reductions would hope to be made through staff turnover and redeployment.

The call centre is due to close by the end of next year.

Finance union Unifi is also organising a petition of Lloyds TSB staff at all call centre sites around the UK calling for a five-year guarantee that no call centre will close.

But a spokesman for Unifi said: "Staff feel betrayed that the company is only concerned with maximising profits.

"Unifi is confident that staff will vote for action as they are not prepared to go quietly and let the bank off the hook."