Blacks plans to close 45 stores

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Outdoor clothing and equipment firm Blacks Leisure has said it is shutting 45 UK stores it tries to turn around its fortunes.

The Northampton-based group, which also trades as Millets and O'Neill, said it did not know how many jobs would be lost as a result of the cuts.

Smaller Millets stores would be those most heavily hit, it added.

In January, Blacks warned its profits for second half of the year would be "substantially below" expectations.

Its warning came after mild winter weather led to sales falling 6% in the last five weeks of 2006.

The company had already seen profits for first half of the year tumble, which it blamed on a combination of warm summer weather, the World Cup and the lack of a Glastonbury festival in 2006.