IT looks like brides will once again be buying their dream wedding dresses at a Worcester shop just months after the previous owner closed down.

Signs have gone up this week, suggesting Berketex Bride is taking over the site of the former Pronuptia shop in the Cathedral Plaza, College Street, Worcester.

The Worcester branch of Pronuptia - a national franchise - closed suddenly in October after it went into voluntary liquidation.

At the time your Worcester News revealed that Berketex Bride was in talks to take over the site, but despite the arrival of the new signs above the entrance of the shop, the company was yesterday unavailable to comment.

Several brides were left heartbroken when Pronuptia closed, leaving many without their gowns.

Company bosses later promised all orders would be honoured and some brides were able to pick up their dresses.

Staff said they knew nothing about the closure until they turned up to work to find receivers emptying the shop of stock.

Katarina Powell, 28, of Blackpole, Worcester, a former seamstress at Pronuptia, said she had been offered a job at the new shop but would not be taking it.

Laurie Wells, Slimming World slimmer of year, who shed more than nine stone to claim her prize relied on Pronuptia to supply her with an elegant dress to attend the award ceremony.

The 35-year-old of Great House Road, St John's, Worcester, said she was glad a shop would continue on the site.

She added: "Worcester is not really blessed with many places like that.

"To have a shop like this is a good thing. Worcester will benefit."

She is due to attend an award ceremony in June during which she will hand over her Slimming World crown to her successor and would consider using the shop to get her gown.

John Kendrick, manager of Cathedral Plaza shopping centre, said he was unable to comment on the arrival of Berketex.

The chief executive of Pronuptia was unavailable for comment.