THE family behind East Lancashire jewellers Humberstones are winding up the firm.

The Barrowford-based business was sold as a going concern earlier this year.

It operated stores in Blackburn, Burnley, Bury, Oldham, York, and Huddersfield. Now its shareholders have started a voluntary members’ liquidation of the clutch of companies which controlled the firm.

They have appointed accountants Ernst and Young to conduct the liquidation.

They will wind up the main company H A Humberstone Ltd of 2 The Fountains, Gisburn Road, Barrowford, and the linked companies Humberstones (Blackburn) Ltd, Humberstones (Bury) Ltd, Humberstones (Oldham) Ltd, Humberstones (York) Ltd, Humberstones (Burnley) Ltd, and Humberstones (Huddersfield) Ltd.

The legacy assets will be divided between the shareholders, who are understood to be mainly family members including Colin John Humberstone and Mark David Humberstone, registered as directors at Companies House

In July 2015 a masked gang forced its way into Humber-stones’ King William Street, Blackburn, branch (pictured) and stole £30,000 of jewellery. It was never recovered.

Derek Neil Hyslop and Colin Peter Dempster of Ernst & Young were appointed to liquidate the company by its members on August 14.