Thomas Cook stores in Bolton remained closed today after the holiday firm announced it had gone out of business.

Our reporter visited the Thomas Cook Travel Store at Crompton Place Shopping Centre which remained closed today with all the lights off. There was no notice on the door.

There are two further stores in Bolton, one at Middlebrook Retail Park and one on Market Street in Farnworth.

The Thomas Cook website is listing all three stores as being closed.

It comes after Thomas Cook announced today that it had ceased trading with immediate effect after failing to acquire the £200million it needed to remain in business.

It is not yet known how many jobs have been lost in Bolton.

It is estimated that 9,000 jobs in the UK have been put at risk.

More than 150,000 British holidaymakers are currently abroad and will need to be repatriated as a result of the 178-year-old firm's collapse, the Civil Aviation Authority said.

The CAA said in a statement: "All Thomas Cook bookings, including flights and holidays, have now been cancelled. There are currently more than 150,000 Thomas Cook customers abroad, almost twice the number that were repatriated following the failure of Monarch.

"We know that a company with such long-standing history ceasing trading will be very distressing for its customers and employees and our thoughts are with everyone affected by this news."

The company operated around 600 UK high street stores.