Insurance giant AXA is to cut up to 700 jobs in the UK and is planning to switch jobs to India, workers in Darlington were told today.

The French-owned firm said 220 jobs would be axed at its general insurance sites in Morecambe in Lancashire and Darlington and 250 posts will go through efficiency measures at other offices.

Plans to switch work to Bangalore, India, will result in further job losses of up to 230.

Amicus said it was ''saddened'' by the news and called on the Government to take urgent action to support the service sector. The announcement followed moves by finance giant Abbey to close call centres in the UK and switch work to India.