A company spokesman praised staff who had "done a fantastic job"

Nearly 200 employees are to lose their jobs with the closure of a telephone call centre in Devon.

The 118-118 telephone directory inquiries centre in Plympton, Plymouth, is expected to close its doors in June.

The company, which has begun a 90-day consultation period, said its 180 workers were being offered voluntary redundancy.

Some members of staff are being given the chance to apply for vacancies at 118-118 call centres in South Wales.

When the Plympton centre opened in 2003, it employed 300 staff, but that number has fallen in the past year or so, with an increase in the number of people using the internet to access information.

Company spokesman William Ostrom said of the staff reaction: "They weren't necessarily surprised - we have reduced numbers somewhat in the past year - but it's been quite a shock."

Mr Ostrom praised the employees and said the Plympton call centre had been a "great success" since it opened seven years ago.

"They've done a fantastic job, so I think they're shocked and inevitably they face the prospect of losing their jobs, which nobody welcomes," he added.