MORE Inland Revenue jobs are facing the axe with the confirmation that Burnley and Accrington's tax offices will close.

The closure of Burnley’s enquiry centre, based in Towneley House, on Kingsway, will affect 70 staff.

And that makes relocation for the 120 staff at Accrington’s soon-to-close tax office, seem unlikely.

The decision to close the Burnley and Accrington offices, just one year after the Nelson tax office closure, is part of a review of services by HM Revenues and Customs (HMRC).

Union representatives and Burnley office staff had their fears confirmed in a 10am announcement yesterday.

The news comes as Hyndburn MP Greg Pope contacted Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling over plans to close Castle House tax office in Accrington, which were announced in February.

Back then, 120 child benefits and tax credits administrators were told they could relocate to nearby offices, but have more recently been told relocating to Manchester or Liverpool is necessary to safeguard their jobs.

Public and Commercial Services Union branch secretary, Davina Gregson said they would keep fighting the proposed closures but admitted the outlook was bleak.

She said: “It was expected but 70 job losses on top of 120 is a huge blow.

"Many people have been displaced and we’ve established it’s impossible for any of the staff to relocate to Manchester or Liverpool.

"There is now a large number of staff members who have no idea what the future holds.”

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said he had raised the future of Accrington Tax Office with the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling.

He said: “I’ve decided to raise this directly with the Chancellor because that is where the buck stops.

"The economic situation is now completely different to when the original decision was taken.

"We could ill-afford to lose 120 white collar jobs in Accrington when times were good and we certainly can’t afford to lose them now.”

The Blackburn office, which was part of the same review, designed to save the taxman £30million, will remain open.

Consultations over the latest wave of proposed changes, which will affect a number of other north west towns, began in January.