High Street beauty chain Bodycare is to close its 56 remaining stores, resulting in 444 redundancies, administrators have said.

Last week, it announced the closure of 30 shops, having collapsed into administration earlier this month.

A shortage of stock and the cost of running stores meant it was no longer viable to keep its 115 stores open, administrators said at the time.

Bodycare specialises in selling fragrances, toiletries, cosmetics and skincare products and was founded on a Lancashire market stall more than half a century ago.

It employed about 1,500 people and traded from nearly 150 stores across Britain.

The news follows Sky News reporting that Bodycare was seeking a buyer in an attempt to avert its collapse.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details wil

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