Up to 25 brides could be left without the wedding dresses they chose following the sudden closure of a bridalwear shop.

The owner of Darcy Designs, in Grove Road, Eastbourne, shut up shop and cleared thousands of pounds' stock overnight.

Brides with weddings just weeks away have been left in the dark about whether their dresses will be available in time.

The owner's phone lines are dead and it is believed she has moved to the North.

Independent fitter Isabelle Humphreys has been left to try to track down as many brides as possible.

Mrs Humphreys, 48, has salvaged 25 dresses but has only been able to contact three brides because their phone numbers had been incorrectly listed at the shop. Those affected are believed to come from towns including Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes, Bexhill, Seaford and Polegate as well as from London and Devon.

One bride, 32-year-old Tina Murray, put down a 70 per cent deposit of £560 for a satin gown after being measured in March.

It was for her wedding to Darren Bass, her partner of nine years, at the Cavendish Hotel on Eastbourne seafront in September.

Her plans have now been thrown into disarray.

She only found out the shop had closed when a neighbour noticed the empty window while passing on Tuesday.

Travel agent manager Miss Murray, from Stone Cross, near Eastbourne, said: "My neighbour left a voicemail message saying, 'I don't want to worry you but your bridalwear shop looks closed'.

"I immediately panicked and drove there on Tuesday night and took down Mrs Humphreys' phone number that she had left on the door.

"She has been very good and has taken it upon herself to contact as many people as possible even though it has nothing to do with her.

"She told me it had closed and the blood drained to my feet.

"Lots of brides with weddings just weeks and months away have been left upset."

All is not lost for Miss Murray, however, because another bridalwear shop, The Fitting Room, in Meads Street, Eastbourne, has stepped in to help.

It is offering brides affected by the closure of Darcy's to supply dresses at the lowest price it can manage.

Meanwhile, Sussex Police and East Sussex trading standards have been informed about the impact of Darcy's closure.

Darcy Designs has been in Grove Road for three years. Earlier, it was based at the Enterprise Shopping Centre near the station.

Mrs Humphreys said: "A notice wasn't even put on the door. I did that myself. I couldn't just walk away knowing that these brides could be left without dresses.

"A wedding dress is such a big thing for a girl and a lot of them are paid for by the brides themselves, not their parents."