Hitchin's M&Co store is to close after the clothing retailer announced all of its 170 stores will shut down this year.

The company called in the administrators at the end of last year, and although it was purchased by AK Retail Holdings, this did not include physical stores.

All shops will close this Easter, including Hitchin's High Street store, with close to 2,000 jobs to be lost.

M&Co confirmed the news in a Facebook post on Saturday, saying: "Unfortunately we haven't received the news we would have hoped for during our administration period, and would like to share this news with you.

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"As we haven't received any funded, deliverable offers that would result in the transfer of the company's stores or staff to a potential buyer, this means that all of our stores will close."