WILKO stores in Halesowen, Stourbridge, Dudley, Kidderminster and Redditch look set to close by early October.

They will be among the last wave of those to close as the dramatic collapse of the high street chain takes place.

The retailer is shutting 24 stores across the UK in the first phase of closures today (Tuesday September 12).

It comes a day after administrators confirmed all the group’s remaining shop, warehouse and support centre workers are set to lose their jobs.

Family-owned Wilko employed 12,500 staff and ran 400 shops before it hired administrators early last month after it came under pressure from weak consumer spending and debts to suppliers.

All its stores have continued to trade in recent weeks as it has worked through remaining stock, with the retailer discounting thousands of products.

A further 28 shops will shut after trading on Thursday.

These closures will result in 1,016 redundancies, while administrators have also announced hundreds of other job cuts impacting warehouse and support centre staff.

A further 124 shops will shut for good next week as the process continues, with the final 222 stores all due to close by early October.

PwC said the firm’s warehouse will shut on Friday, with final support centre workers leaving in early October as operations completely unwind.

Administrators are still in talks over deals to sell store properties, but are shutting down sites after failing to find a suitor who would take them on as Wilko shops and retain their staff.