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Tesco is to sell its in-store optician business in the UK and Republic of Ireland to Vision Express, who will continue to run the eyeglass outlets.

Tesco - which says the sale will "simplify" its business - has 206 optical stores in the UK and three in Ireland, as well as an online outlet.

It employs about 1,500 staff, who will be transferred to Vision Express, owned by Dutch-based Grand Vision.

The deal is expected to be completed this year, pending regulatory approval.

No financial details about the sale have been given.

Tesco UK chief executive Matt Davies said: "This allows us to further simplify and strengthen our UK business and ensures our customers are still able to enjoy high quality eye care services from Vision Express in our larger stores."

Tesco Opticians, which opened its first opticians in Peterborough in 1998, had revenues of about £90m in 2016.

Tesco has been selling off businesses including restaurant chain Giraffe, Dobbies Garden Centres and music streaming service Blinkbox.

Vision Express has 389 stores in the UK and about 4,500 staff.