All Wilko stores are expected to close by early October after a rescue deal to save the chain fell through.

GMB Union has said all the stores will shut, with redundancies looking "likely" for all 12,500 staff.

The union said administrators at PwC updated them on the situation this morning (September 11).

A GMB statement said: "There is now no prospect of saving the remaining store estate in its entirety and all Wilko stores will close by early October with DCs to close on Friday, 15th September.

"Although separate bids may be made for leases of groups of sites, these deals will not secure jobs, although the option to take up new employment with the bidders for these sites is something we are now pushing for."

HMV's billionaire owner Doug Putman had tabled plans to rescue the vast majority of the discount retailer stores, but his bid was been pulled due to rising costs.

In a statement to The Sun, Mr Putman said: "It is with great disappointment that we can no longer continue in the purchase process for Wilko having worked with administrators and suppliers over several weeks to seek a viable way to rescue it as a going concern."

Last week Kenilworth's Station Road Wilko was not included in a list of 52 stores set to close.

But now the union has announced that all 400 stores nationwide as well as distribution centres will close within the coming few weeks.

The second round of store closures will take place between the 19 and 21 September and will include a further 124 stores.

Rival retailer B&M confirmed last week that it will spend £13 million on a further 51 Wilko branches - but it is expected they will not be run under the Wilko name. The stores expected to be rebranded have yet to be confirmed.

The GMB statement to members added: "Wilko was far more than a brand, a retailer or the products, it was the thousands of loyal team members now facing an uncertain future.

"It may have ceased genuinely being a family brand many years ago, but you, the staff kept the real family ethos of Wilko alive until the very end."