Wilko stores across Suffolk are at risk of closure after the firm announced it was on the brink of collapse. 

The homeware retailer has stores in Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Lowestoft and Mildenhall.

It has been revealed the High Street retailer has filed to appoint administrators, putting 12,000 jobs at risk. 

Chief executive officer Mark Jackson said: “While we can confirm we’ve had a significant level of interest, including indicative offers that we believe would meet all our financial criteria to recapitalise the business, at present, we don’t today have an offer that provides the necessary liquidity in the time we have available, given the mounting cash pressures we’re faced with.

“Unfortunately, with this in mind, today we’re having to take the difficult decision to file a notice of intention.

“We’ll continue to progress discussions with interested parties with the aim of completing a transaction which preserves the business and will encourage those interested parties we’re in discussions with to move as fast as possible.

“We continue to believe that our robust turnaround plan, with significant re-stabilisation cost savings in progress, will deliver a profitable Wilko and maximise the significant opportunities that we know exist.”