ANXIOUS staff at Burnley's tax office will learn tomorrow whether the centre will close.

Union leaders fear the enquiry centre, which is based in Towneley House, on Kingsway, Burnley, and has more than 70 staff, may be shut as part of a review of services by HM Revenues and Customs (HMRC).

An announcement is expected tomorrow morning, but staff fear the worst after the decision was taken to axe the Castle House tax office in Accrington in February.

Back then 120 staff, who administered child benefits and tax credits, were told they would have to relocate to Manchester or Liverpool if they wanted to safeguard their jobs.

The Blackburn office, which was part of the same review, designed to save the taxman £30million, will remain open. Officials from the Public and Commercial Services Union say morale is at rock bottom.

Trade union organiser Steven Darbyshire said: "These are extremely worrying times for our staff members. Trade union officials will be on site in Burnley on Wednesday morning to offer support."

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

Union leaders are unhappy as they were initially told staff may be able to transfer to alternative sites in Blackpool and Preston.

But that option appears to have been removed, with workers being asked if they are prepared to move to Bootle, near Liverpool, or their Manchester offices.

In Nelson the HMRC used to have an enquiry office in Trafalgar House, on Booth Street, but later relocated to an office in Every Street as a temporary measure.

The Nelson office has been closed for some time though and staff have been working from Towneley House instead.

Staff had expressed safety concerns about security at the Nelson office - a converted terraced house on the edge of the town centre.