Three Poundland stores in the region — including one in Ipswich — are closing temporarily due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The firm announced it was putting the stores in Ipswich's Sailmakers Shopping Centre, Colchester's Culver Street and in The Guineas in Newmarket into hibernation due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Poundland's other stores in the region will remain open.

The company said the move came after the lockdown caused an 80% drop in footfall in high streets and shopping centres.

Austin Cooke, Poundland’s retail director, said: “We learned valuable lessons during the lockdown in March about how buying patterns change as people stick to government advice to stay at home.

“Putting a small number of stores into hibernation helps protect them for the long-term and helps us focus our attention on the majority of stores that remain open to serve their neighbourhoods.

“We hope this lockdown is short and we can re-open our hibernating stores as quickly as possible and we remain grateful for the vital support schemes available to us that help protect jobs.”

Nationally, 44 Poundland stores have been put into "temporary hibernation".