Yesterday Marks and Spencer announced that 780 jobs will be axed with 25 of its Simply Food stores and two main chain stores set to close.

The announcement also said that up to 450 staff will be cut from the head office after UK sales in the popular store fell by 7.1 per cent in the 13 weeks to December 27.

Although Wrexham has not been affected, 10 temporary Christmas staff at the store have had their contracts cut short.

Leisa Stewart, the company's corporate PR manager, said: "We recruited these temporary Christmas staff during the busy peak season to support us when permanent staff retire, go on holiday or leave M&S.

"This year, our permanent staff turnover rate has slowed so we need to adjust our temporary staff levels accordingly.

"It's common practice among retailers to flex staff up or down in this way.

"All of our other Christmas temps, approximately 25, will finish at the end of February as originally planned."

Eagles Meadow centre manager Simon Pullen said the news was positive for Marks and Spencer workers.

He said: "We are still a new scheme but Christmas and New Year has been a good time for us. Most tenants are doing as well or better than expected."

Senior managers who visited the new store recently, are believed to have said they have lost a lot of regular customers who went to their former store in Wrexham town centre.

Office workers who used the old store in Hope Street at lunchtimes, now find they have not get the time during their lunch break, to go the extra distance to the new store.

Wrexham now has more than 11 empty premises in the traditional town centre.

The two M&S stores due to close are Valley Park, Croydon and Woking with 25 other Simply Food stores closing.