Staff at an Ilford clothes store have breathed a sigh of relief after being saved from the brink of closure.

Bonmarche, in High Road, had announced its closing down sale and staff redundancy packages for all 11 workers were in place when manager Nicola Hall, 28, was told the store was one of 28 to be saved across the country.

Elated to be keeping her job, Nicola is above all else pleased for the elderly customers who regularly visit the store.

She said: “I am very relieved to be staying open and so are the 10 girls I have working with me here.

“Our customers were devastated but since they heard the news they have been dancing up and down the aisles.

“We can’t wait to take down the closing down signs now.”

Bonmarche lost more than 100 stores nationwide following the sale of the company from Peacocks to private equity firm Sun European Partners.

Yesterday we revealed the Peacocks fashion store, also in High Road, had closed with immediate effect despite a deal with Edinburgh Woollen Mill which bought the retailer out of administration.