The sudden closure of a Malvern Link dress agency has left a number of people out of pocket.

Over to You, in Richmond Road, shared the profits from the sale of second-hand clothes with their owners.

Customers and donors were shocked to find that the shop had closed suddenly after Christmas and all the stock had been removed.

The whereabouts of Val Williams, who had leased the shop for around 10 years, is not known. New leaseholder Sue Smith said a number of people had come in asking her what had happened.

"I've had five or six people ask me where the other lady is and I can't help them because I just don't know.

"One lady was in tears because her wedding dress was in the shop. I feel very sorry for people."

Ms Smith said a staff member who used to work at the dress agency had even turned up for work not knowing it had closed.

She said: "It closed on Christmas Eve and people were told it was for re-painting and re-decorating, but it never opened again."

The landlord of the building, who declined to be named, said he was owed five months' rent but did not know if he would ever be paid.

A spokesman for Malvern Police said they had not received any complaints.

"If we do receive complaints or queries of this type we look at them initially to decide whether any criminal act appears to have occurred," he said. "If it has, it is investigated thoroughly. If not, we would advise the complainant that they may have redress through the civil courts."