SUPERMARKET chain Morrisons last night announced the full "hit list" of Safeway stores in the region it must sell to meet legal requirements.

The company, which acquired Safeway following a lengthy Competition Commission inquiry last year, has been ordered by the Office of Fair Trading to sell 52 stores to maintain local competition.

Last night's revelation came as Sainsbury's announced its intention to buy 20 stores from three retailers - which is likely to include some of the shops off-loaded by Morrisons.

Both of Darlington's Safeway stores - its main one in Victoria Road and a smaller one in Cockerton - are to be sold.

Morrisons is also shedding shops in Redcar, Loftus, Guisborough, Coulby Newham in Middlesbrough and Whitehouse Farm Safeway in Stockton. Other Safeway stores in the Teesside area - including Ingleby Barwick, Yarm and Stokesley - are to be retained.

Morrisons in Ripon, North Yorkshire, will move into the larger Safeway premises, with the former Morrisons sold off.

It was announced earlier this week that Harrogate's Safeway store will be sold to Waitrose. In Tyne and Wear, Safeway Team Valley will also be sold.

A Morrisons spokesman said he was confident all stores would find buyers, and none would face closure.

Morrisons will start its own store conversion programme in August, which will take nearly three years.

A Safeway spokeswoman said that it was hoped all staff would be retained at any stores that Morrisons sold.

A poster displayed in Darlington's Victoria Road Safeway store, signed by Morrisons chairman Sir Kenneth Morrison, reads: "If this Safeway is sold it will be handed over to its new owner and will continue to operate as a food store. We will, of course, let you know if this is going to happen. Please continue to shop with us."