FORTY-THREE staff at Woolworths in Salisbury will lose their jobs by January 5 at the latest, unless a buyer is found for the store chain.

The company’s administrators, Deloitte, said the first tranche of branch closures would take place on December 27.

Salisbury’s store was not on that list. But the rest of the stores would follow in rapid succession, with a total of 30,000 jobs being axed.

The shopworkers’ union Usdaw said it was “shocked” to learn that staff would be given only 10 days’ notice of closure, and would be asked to work for up to three days after the closure to clear up.

General secretary John Hannet said: “Woolworths staff are extremely loyal, dedicated and well trained, and wherever vacancies exist in the retail sector we will use our contacts to find alternative employment as speedily as possible.”

Eager bargain-hunters were flocking to the shop’s closing down sale in Salisbury all last week.

The assistants serving them were unable to say anything about their plight as they had been instructed to refer all enquiries to Deloitte.

Customers emerging from the store were delighted with their cut-price Christmas purchases but sad that it had come to this.

Tina and Peter Thompson have three young children and another one on the way, and are regular shoppers at Woolworth.

The store’s own line of children’s clothing has always been a bargain, they said, and they are “gutted” by the news of its closure.

The couple, who live in Salisbury, emerged on Thursday with bags of clothes and toys, including a Thomas the Tank Engine train set. They spent more than £60 but reckoned they had saved at least £50 on normal prices.

Fritz Ceniza, from Salisbury, had been shopping for Christmas toys for his little girl at 20 per cent off, while among the younger shoppers were teenagers Poppy Borup, from Winterbourne Dauntsey, and Amelia Tobin, from Gillingham. They had snapped up confectionery and Bratz dolls, spending £7.90 and saving at least £5.

Paula Haye, of Larkhill, had stocked up on a half-price hot water bottle and cover, and a set of champagne glasses reduced to £5.60. Mrs Haye, another regular Woolworth shopper, said: “I’ll be very sorry to see it go.”