A popular veterinary surgery has announced it will be closing and transferring its animals to another practice six miles away.

Whitehouse Vets, in Whitehouse Business Park, White Ash Green, sent a letter to all of its clients explaining it was closing as of Friday, August 24.

The animals on its books will be automatically moved over to Henny Veterinary Surgery, in Gentrys, Little Henny, which is part of the same group.

Practice manager Kevin Bowers said: "We do not own the building so it is due to circumstances out of our control.

"We are moving to the other site at Henny, which we are investing in so there will be more resources like staff and equipment.

"It should be better for our clients anyway.

"The Whitehouse surgery is only a consultation surgery anyway so over the years if clients have had to have operations they have had to come to Henny.

"They all know the site already so hopefully it won't be too much of a change."

Some residents have expressed their frustrations about the move on social media, with many saying they will miss the surgery being located so close to Halstead.

Mr Bowers said: "It will be the clients decision whether they feel they can travel.

"Hopefully they will because the practice has really been part of the community and hopefully they will want to follow us.

"Obviously there might be some people who cannot travel, but we hope most will.

"Although the Whitehouse site is closing it is more of a merger."

The group also owns Mulberry Veterinary Surgery, in Melford Road, Sudbury.

For more information about the changes, visit www.whitehousevet.co.uk.