Lloyds Bank is to slash 9,000 jobs and shut 200 branches.

There are around 30 branches in Sussex including six in Brighton and Hove.

The publicly-owned banking group has not confirmed which branches will close but said it would focus on town centres where it currently has more than one.

The 9,000 job cuts represent around 10% of the current workforce.

Three years ago Lloyds, which is 25% owned by the taxpayer after being rescued during the financial crisis, pledged to keeping total branch numbers at the same level but now says the commitment has expired.

The closures spell an end to its commitment to be the "last bank in town" and represent around a tenth of its network of 2,000 sites.

Lloyds will invest in remote advice services for customers with more online banking or self-service facilities within branches instead of dealing with staff face to face.

The group announced a 41% rise in underlying profits for the third quarter to £2.2 billion and said it remained confident in its plans to resume dividend payments after six years.

Bottom line pre-tax profits were £751 million, after taking into account an additional £900 million set aside to pay for the Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) mis-selling scandal, taking the running total to £11.3 billion.

Chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio said: "Over the last three years the successful delivery of our strategy has ensured that we have become a safe, highly efficient, UK-focused retail and commercial bank.

"The next phase of our strategy will use these strong foundations as a basis for meeting the rapidly-changing needs of our customers, and sets out how we will grow the business in a way that will deliver increasing and sustainable returns for our shareholders."

Rob MacGregor, national officer of the Unite union, said: "These are deeply unsettling times for Lloyds staff, who after days of speculation and leaks face yet another round of job cuts and a future of uncertainty.

"Job cuts of approximately 10% could have unknown consequences on customer service and will put even more pressure on staff who have helped get the bank back on the right track.”