Dozens of brides could be left without dresses for their special day after a bridal shop went bust without informing its customers.

The situation only came to light when bridegroom-to-be James Glover and his best man Simon Taylor went to pick up their suits from Pretty Brides and Formale in Broadwater Street West, Worthing, to find a note stuck to the inside of the door to say the shop had ceased trading from Wednesday.

With less than 24 hours to go before his wedding to fiancee Harriet Shelley, 25, at the Norfolk Arms Hotel in Arundel, tomorrow, Mr Glover and Mr Taylor, 30, were left panicking as they scoured Worthing for new suits.

James, 29, from Worthing, said: "We hired our suits about two or three months ago and the shop called on Wednesday to say they were in and were we going to go down and pick them up.

"I said I had arranged to pick them up on Thursday and the staff didn't give any indication that there was anything wrong.

"Luckily Harriet got her dress from a shop in Horsham but there are going to be hundreds of brides and bridesmaids who will be completely turned over by this."

Mr Glover, who is night news editor at The Argus, said he could not have picked the suit up on Wednesday as he was organising other things for the wedding.

They eventually found replacement suits in Dickies, Goring Road, Worthing, but the whole incident had left them about £500 out of pocket.

He said: "The only chance we have of getting our money back is by going through the county court.

"We were in such a panic at having to either hire or buy new suits but luckily Dickies turned it round. They said they have had several phone calls from people who are in the same situation as us."

Despite Mr Glover being told information about the closure would be on the shop's website there was nothing to say it had ceased trading as The Argus went to press.

Alan Dickson, owner of Dickies, said: "We have had two guys in and we have had lots of phone calls because word is spreading quickly.

"People have realised they are not going to get their suits but the worst thing is the dresses, which is a major problem because brides will have ordered them months in advance and paid for them up front."

A spokesman for West Sussex Trading Standards said he urged customers who had been left out of pocket to call Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 for advice.

If you've been affected by the closure of Pretty Brides and Formale? Please call The Argus on 01273 544525.