THE boss of a Bolton kitchen and bathroom firm has confirmed it has gone into administration.

David Cullen said Mark Two, based at Raikes Lane and Manchester Road, went into administration at 4pm on Wednesday.

Corporate finance specialist Duff and Phelps, based in Manchester, has also confirmed it is handling the administration.

Mr Cullen, chief executive of Mark Two’s parent company, Ultra Finishing, said the way was now clear for up to 200 people who had lost their jobs to claim statutory redundancy pay.

Workers at the firm in Bolton were told they no longer had jobs after Tesco terminated a contract when it decided to close its kitchens and bathrooms businesses.

"Now Mark Two had gone into formal administration it means that the people who haven’t been paid can get on with their claim,” said Mr Cullen.

“A number of people were paid on Tuesday until the end of November, but who and why is now the administrators' decision.”

Mr Cullen said that although the bulk of Mark Two’s work was for Tesco, the firm was continuing to honour commitments to fit kitchens and bathrooms for Debenhams and Laura Ashley.

It is the Mark Two Distributors Limited business that has gone into administration, while Mark Two Home Limited has not wound up.

We told earlier this month how more than 140 Mark Two Home Limited employees were handed a letter during a staff meeting telling them they no longer had jobs and may not be paid for November.

It is understood the remainder — a mix of field staff or self-employed contractors — were either told over the phone, or heard the news first through social media.

Staff had been warned two weeks ago that the contract looked set to end, and say they were asked to continue working under assurances they would get paid.

Angry former staff had met up outside the business off Manchester Road to voice their frustration.

Bradley Fold mum Emma Woodhouse said Christmas was cancelled in her house after she found out she had lost her job.

She said: “My husband was made redundant in June and has only just started work again."

Toni Thomason, aged 28, said the future was now uncertain after she lost her job. “I don’t know how I’m going to pay my rent – thankfully I have family who can help.”

A row broke out between the two firms when news of the redundancies was announced.

A spokesman for Mark Two said the business was no longer viable in its current form because of Tesco's "sudden termination of the contract."

A spokesman for Tesco said the redundancies were a matter for Mark Two, and refused to comment on the matter.

The company accused Mark Two of not completing customer orders but were "Prepared to support financially provided that such support would go directly to building kitchens for customers."