Two RBS branches at risk of closure will remain open, the bank has announced.

The branches in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, and Castlebay on Barra in the Western Isles will not be closed due to independent reviewers citing "exceptional circumstances".

However, the closure of eight branches out of the ten under review has now been confirmed, in addition to 52 previously announced.

Branches in Beauly, Tongue, Kyle, Melrose, Inveraray, Comrie, Douglas and Gretna will all shut on dates yet to be determined.

The announcement follows the recommendations of an independent review into the ten closure-threatened branches the bank commissioned from accountancy and business advisory firm Johnston Carmichael.

The branches were chosen as they were mostly all the last branch in town and more than nine miles from the nearest alternative RBS branch.

For the Barra branch, the decision to keep it open is partly due to concern that the mobile bank may have been unable to reliably reach island in bad weather.

The Biggar branch was given a reprieve due to local demand and the nearest RBS branch being 13 miles away in Lanark.

The reviewers have also recommended additional steps are taken to improve the quality and accessibility of alternative banking facilities for six of the closing branches such as not closing the attached bank machines and expanding mobile bank provision.

RBS managing director of personal banking Simon Watson said: "Johnston Carmichael has judged that there are exceptional circumstances in Biggar and Barra, and has recommended that these branches remain open - so they will.

"We also note the further recommendations for enhancements that can be made in six of the branch locations and can confirm we will be accepting these recommendations in full."

He said there would be no further branch reviews until at least 2020.

Sandy Manson, chief executive of Johnston Carmichael, said: "We recognise the importance of local banking services being available to these communities and we have therefore carefully set out our rationale for reaching each recommendation on a branch-by-branch basis."