Up to 65 jobs are to be axed at the Birmingham Post & Mail and its sister papers as part of a shake-up by newspaper group Trinity Mirror.

As part of the reorganisation all 240 editorial staff are having to re-apply for their jobs.

The changes, which will cut almost a quarter of the editorial workforce, are seen as a bid to stem losses at the group’s Midland news operation following an unsuccessful bid to sell it last year.

The group has struggled to cope with falling sales and competition for advertising revenue from the internet.

The Birmingham Post is to be re-launched as a tabloid and cease publication on Saturdays. Staff at the Post, Birmingham Mail, Coventry Telegraph and Sunday Mercury will be moved to two new “integrated multi-media newsrooms” in Coventry and at Fort Dunlop, on the M6 at Birmingham.

Trinity Mirror says it is also aiming to sell off two paid-for weekly newspapers and five free titles.

If buyers cannot be found they will be closed, with more job losses.

Staff were given the news yesterday afternoon. Trinity Mirror Regionals editorial director Neil Benson said: “All publishers are trying to address the difficulties of trading at the moment.

At the same time we’re trying to build our multi-media future as well.

“In business terms we had to reduce staff numbers to build for the future.”

Trinity Mirror said it was investing £7.5 million in new technology as part of the reorganisation.

Defending the changes, Birmingham Mail editor Steve Dyson said: “For our brands to remain intact we simply have to change the way we go about producing our titles, in print and online.”

Some staff were angry about not being told they would have to re-apply for their jobs at yesterday’s meetings.

Instead they only discovered the shock news when they read consultation documents later.

Dyson said: “I didn’t say anyone will have to re-apply for their jobs because they won’t.

“But everyone will have to apply for the new jobs in the new structure.”

Asked whether he would be one of those leaving, he said: “’Fraid not.

“I intend to take on a new role and help see the titles involved through a difficult transition.”

He will oversee introduction of the new multi-media operation before taking on the additional role of editing the Sunday Mercury later this year.’