The DIY retail giant B&Q has confirmed it will close five stores across Northern Ireland.

B&Q said it is to close stores at Sprucefield, Ballymena, Craigavon, Buncrana Road in Derry and Boucher Road, Belfast

The company said around 300 positions will be affected by the closures.

Diarmuid Walsh, divisional director for Northern Ireland, B&Q, said the company will be focused on “redeploying” as many people as possible who will be affected by the store closures.

Mr Walsh said "B&Q has served the people of Northern Ireland for 26 years and the decision to reshape our store network in the region has been a hard one to make, however it forms an important part of our mission to reinvent home B&Q said it will continue to operate four stores in the North - it previously had nine stores.