The Royal Bank branch in Dumbarton has escaped the widespread cuts being made to branches across Scotland.

The bank, which operates in High Street, started a storm of protest on Friday when it announced that 62 branches are under threat across the country, with the loss of 158 jobs.

RBS said many more customers are accessing services online or via mobile devices, but the union Unite, which represents many of those affected by the closure programme, said senior figures at the bank were “filling their boots while they devastate local communities”.

Across the UK, the bank is closing 259 branches, including 197 operated under the NatWest brand.

It said it has seen a 40 per cent drop in the use of branches since 2014 and mobile transactions have increased by 73 per cent over the same period.

Redundancies in the UK-wide closure programme are expected to be 680. Branches in Helensburgh and Clydebank are also unaffected.