The new owner of Midland Co-operative Dairies has confirmed that it is planning to close its three Oxfordshire milk delivery depots, with the loss of about 60 jobs.

Dairy Crest, the UK's largest regional dairy operator, said it would try to redeploy staff at the Oxford, Faringdon and Thame depots.

Midlands Co-operative Society announced two weeks ago that it was selling the dairy business because it could not compete with bigger rivals.

Oxfordshire customers received a note from Dairy Crest with their milk this morning, saying they would receive deliveries from the same milkman.

St Ivel owner Dairy Crest said Midlands Co-operative Dairies (MCD), which produces more than a million pints of milk a day, would be consolidated into its existing dairy operations.

Its main Birmingham processing plant, which employs some 330 staff, would be closed "in due course", subject to consultations with employees. In its last financial year, MCD made operating profits of £600,000 on sales of £89m.

Chief executive Drummond Hall said: "The integration of Midlands Co-op Dairies into our own dairy operations will generate significant efficiencies."