St Margarets and Whitton have both been shortlisted as possible sites for new M&S food stores in Richmond Borough.

The national retailer has released a list of potential locations across the country as it looks to expand its estate.

M&S' list includes some 500 places and the company is asking locals to suggest possible locations for new food stores.

The company wants to double the size of its food business and is aiming for 180 full line stores and 420 food stores.

M&S says it is "particularly looking for large sites" that could stock the full range of M&S Food, growing the target size of its food stores to an average of 18,000sqft.

Alex Freudmann Managing Director, M&S Food said: "The strong performance of our new M&S food stores gives us the confidence to explore even more locations across the UK, from Elgin to Exmouth. 

"With more than twenty stores opening or modernised before the end of the financial year, we are moving faster. 

"Our team want new sites where we could open a large M&S Food store as we deliver on our strategy to bring the right stores to the right places and offer the best shopping experience, range and availability for our customers."

M&S announced in summer it had acquired 12 Homebase sites which are set to become some of the largest M&S standalone food stores in the UK – the first of which is set to open before Christmas in Cannock.

See the full list here.