Four Wilko stores in Kent are set to close as the chain confirms widespread redundancies.

The struggling retailer is cutting a total of 52 branches across the country next week at the cost of more than 1,000 jobs.

Administrators PwC said 26 shops would close next Tuesday (September 12), with a further 28 to shut on Thursday (September 14).

Edward Williams, joint administrator at PwC, said in the "absence of viable offers" for the whole company, closures and job losses were "necessary".

It has been confirmed that four Kent stores are to shut, while the future of the remaining 10 branches in the county remains in the balance.

The Tunbridge Wells and Westwood Cross stores are set to shut on Tuesday as one of the first victims of the firm’s collapse.

This will be followed by the Ashford and Folkestone outlets, both of which will shut on Thursday.

The large Ashford store in the town’s Park Mall shopping centre now has dozens of empty shelves after large discounts were put on products as part of an “administration sale”.

Administrators announced more than 1,300 redundancies on Tuesday, with job losses at the 52 stores as well as Wilko's distribution and support centres.

Staff at the affected shops were told of the job losses at 10am.

It is hoped that some of the other stores in the county may be among those purchased by B&M, after the rival discount chain confirmed it would be snapping up 51 stores in a move costing £13 million.

Last month, shoppers in Ashford spoke of their dismay at the prospect of losing their nearest Wilko store.

Customers said they feared the area would become a ghost town if the Park Mall store was confirmed to be closing.

Ashford Borough Council – which owns Park Mall – said last month how Wilko’s troubles could accelerate plans to convert the site into residential.

Commenting on today’s confirmed closure, an authority spokesman said: “We’re sad to see the store close, they have been part of our town centre for many years and our thoughts go out to those staff affected by the closure.”