COLCHESTER'S Citizens Advice office has closed due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, it has been announced.

The charity's Crouch Street office may no longer be open, but it will continue to provide its vital services by phone and online.

Over the past 13 years the office has provided free and impartial advice to tens of thousands of local people who got in touch or came through its doors.

However, during most of the past year, the office has been closed to the public and staff and volunteers have been working from home.

Citizens Advice Colchester currently has 26 advisers equipped with laptops and phones.

In recent weeks the team has been helping up to 20 people each day.

Before the pandemic, the charity was running an outreach service in the Colchester Borough Homes offices in Greenstead.

A spokesman for the charity said: "We hope to renew this when conditions allow.

"In the meantime, we are looking for new, smaller offices in the town where we can provide some face-to-face advice and manage our services for the community.

"If you know of somewhere that might suit please get in touch with Emma Keegan at emmak@colchestercab.org.uk."

The Citizens Advice Colchester advice line operates on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Anyone can call free of charge on 0808 278 7853.