FESTERING food and the remains of peoples' lunches left when staff and customers were forced out of Mountstevens' bakeries in Trowbridge have finally been cleared, a week after the shops shut.

The bakery firm went into liquidation last Wednesday lunchtime, July 24, leaving staff in its 80 shops with just minutes to close the doors on themselves and customers.

Up to 60 people in Trowbridge, where the firm had two outlets, one in The Shires and another in Castle Place, have now been left out of work.

Mountstevens also had bakeries in many other west towns, including Melksham and Chippenham and employees from some of the shops are still owed wages.

Catherine McIndoe, 23, who worked in The Shires shop, said: "I am still angry and upset. I am now looking for another job. We were all relying on the money."

Her manager, Maria Trueman, said: "I employed 28 people, aged from 15 to 65. Most had families. It's hard to accept."

She said: "I had no knowledge anything was wrong until I received a phone call at 1.30pm telling me to get all the customers out of the shop. I wasn't even told what it was about."

Staff were forced to leave dirty plates and were not even allowed to turn off ovens or touch the food.

Mrs Trueman said: "The liquidator arrived within half an hour and I had to sign the keys over to him. He escorted us all off the premises. That was how quick it was."

A spokesman for Mountstevens' liquidator said specialists had been appointed to carry out the clear up.

Staff have been told nothing can be done about their wages until a creditors' meeting today.

West Wiltshire District Council food safety officers received a number of calls from the public about the state of the shops and has been in contact with the receivers.