MORRISONS has given a lifeline to up to 1,658 staff at a convenience store chain it sold last year and which is facing administration.

The Bradford-based supermarket has offered to rescue jobs if there are store closures at the stricken My Local convenience store business.

My Local owner Greybull Capital announced this week its intention to put the firm into administration, lining up KPMG to act as administrator to its chain of more than 100 stores.

My Local was sold to Greybull last year by Morrisons which has now said that if no buyer for the chain is found, it will offer its former staff jobs at the supermarket.

In a statement, Morrisons said: “We are saddened and disappointed to learn that My Local is about to enter administration.

“We want to help our former colleagues who now work for My Local.

“We can therefore confirm that if no buyer is found, and stores close, we will welcome our former colleagues back to a job at Morrisons.”

My Local was rebranded from M Local, the convenience store chain launched by Morrisons in Ilkley as it tried to boost flagging sales .

KPMG will attempt to sell the business as a going concern but, if a buyer cannot be found, then the stores will be sold off piecemeal or closed down.

It is understood that Co-op’s convenience store arm has picked up five stores with Sainsbury’s also acquiring one.

Meanwhile, Debenhams, which has a flagship store in Bradford’s Broadway shopping centre, revealed falling sales as it said demand for clothes had been weak amid “uncertain trading conditions”.

The group posted a 1.6 per cent fall in like-for-like sales for the 15 weeks to June 11.