TWO of East Lancashire’s largest furniture stores have closed down after administrators were called in.

Homeware chain Walmsley’s has axed its branches in Darwen Street, Blackburn, and Gunsmith Place, Burnley, after North West insolvency experts Leonard Curtis were drafted in.

Company bosses were unable to say how many staff in the East Lancashire branches have been affected.

The Preston store in Friargate has also been shut.

Hauliers yesterday and today have been removing sofa and beds from the Blackburn and Burnley stores and transferring them to other sites.

Nearly 40 of the chain’s premises were closed and the remaining outlets were sold to a holding firm based in Milton Keynes.

Speaking after Leonard Curtis was drafted in, a Walmsley’s spokesman said: “A sale was completed immediately following the appointment to an unconnected company.

“The sale included all of the stock of the business and the buyer has taken over 25 of the stores.”

Company bosses have pledged to honour all outstanding orders as part of the administration process.

The company was founded in 1933 and claimed to have more stores on the high street than any other furniture retailer.

Across the North West, branches in Farnworth, Kirkby, Runcorn and Skelmersdale are also believed to have closed.

It is believed that their only stores remaining in the region are in Birkenhead, Ellesmere Port, Oldham, St Helens and south Manchester.