A call centre in Sittingbourne is set to close with the loss of 65 jobs.

Workers at Go Response on the Kent Science Park near Borden have been told the company, which was recently taken over by rival firm Direct Response, will shut up shop on March 31.

All calls will be handled by staff in Ipswich and Bristol instead.

A worker who did not want to be named said: “Staff are furious. We were bought out by Direct Response in September and were told everyone’s jobs would be safe. Then in February we attended a staff meeting and were told we were all being made redundant.

“There were about 150 of us from Sittingbourne, Sheppey and the villages who will be going although some have already left. We were told all calls will be taken by centres in Ipswich and Bristol.”

Christian Pawsley, the chief executive officer of contacts centres at the Ipswich-based Yonder Digital Group which has absorbed Direct Response, confirmed the Sittingbourne office will close on Friday March 31.

He said: “It was a really difficult decision to make. The staff at Sittingbourne have been fantastic. They are excellent. This is no fault of their own. This is simply a case of rationalising the business.

“The offices will close on March 31 but some work is already being transferred. I’d like to stress that although the office is closing we will continue to provide an excellent service to our clients.”

Go Response has been based in Sittingbourne for 10 years and specialises in telephone answering services, sales order lines, media response and sending out brochures.

According to its website, clients include the BBC charity Comic Relief and national brands Barclays, Dulux, Burger King, VW and Beko.