Image copyright Berketex Bride

Bridal store Berketex Bride has announced that it has ceased trading and gone into administration.

The firm said its 11 outlets in the UK and one in Dublin would be closed from Tuesday and would not reopen.

It has been in existence for more than 50 years selling wedding dresses, bridesmaids' dresses and other accessories.

The company said its director wished to express his "sincere apologies for the abrupt closure of the store".

Insolvency practitioners Wilson Field, who have been instructed to assist the company, said they appreciated that the closure would be "distressing" for customers and would deal with individual queries as quickly as possible.

"A Notice of Intent to appoint an administrator was lodged with the court on November 9.

"Once appointed, an administrator will look at the viability of different aspects of the business and other options which may include the sale of the brand, stock and the website," a spokesman for the firm said.

Berketex had 15 branches nationwide including concessions in Debenhams with shops in Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol, Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester, Croyden, London's West End, Chester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dublin.

Anyone who has purchased items that have not yet been received should telephone 0114 3491388.

On a Facebook Group for the firm, many customers expressed distress at the firm's collapse.

Liz Moseley said she was still "in shock". "Absolutely heartbroken. I've got through and had a confirmation from the administrator that although I paid in full in August... they never made my dress 😔😔😔 so I am now without my dress 💔 beyond disappointed!," she wrote.

Roy Lorraine Burleigh said her daughter had lost her deposit on her dress "and is distraught as am i. After speaking to the staff in the shop who were in tears they knew nothing about this in till the announcement was made so it's not any fault of theirs," she wrote.