Fears were today mounting over the future of camera chain Jessops, which has a Bradford branch.

The retailer is understood to be on the brink of administration.

The Leicester-based company, which operates more than 200 stores, is expected to appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers as the administrator.

The chain, Britain's only specialist nationwide camera retailer, reportedly announced earlier this week that 15 of its stores would close this year but did not identify which ones.

It underwent a major overhaul in 2007 and a swathe of store closures, but came close to collapse two years later before being rescued by its main lender HSBC in a controversial deal that saw it taken off the stock market.

Last year Trevor Moore quit as chief executive after three years in charge to join HMV and chairman David Adams also left.

The firm began life in 1935 when Frank Jessop opened his first shop in Leicesterbut has suffered from the increased popularity of camera phones, hitting demand for digital cameras.

PwC declined to comment and Jessops was not immediately available for comment.