Two hundred jobs are being axed at Air Miles' Sussex call centre after the company confirmed it was shifting its operation to the North.

Full and part-time call centre workers and support staff at Air Miles Travel Promotions in London Road, Crawley, today heard they would be made redundant between now and Christmas.

The news came after a three-month consultation period after management revealed proposals to merge the company's two call centres under one roof at its centre in Warrington.

The company's head office will remain in Crawley.

Air Miles is recruiting 150 extra staff to work at its Warrington centre.

Bosses said it was integrating its call centre operation to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Management and staff held discussions over the last three months to look at alternative proposals and the wishes of the 240 workers whose jobs were threatened.

As a result, the company said it now hoped to save 40 of those jobs by maintaining an evening and weekend part-time shift in the Crawley call centre.

Managing director Drew Thomson said: "We value the opinions of all our employees and it was important that we involve them in the decision-making process, including dedicating members of our management team to work alongside staff to develop alternative proposals.

"The May proposal, which maximises the profitability of the company and secures the long term prosperity of the Air Miles and its employees, has been agreed with staff, with the additional expected implementation of one of the counter-proposals.

"It is testimony to the spirit at Air Miles that we have been able to reach agreement on such a wide ranging reorganisation."