Hundreds of people in Merseyside are facing redundancy after being told the double glazing firm they work for has gone into liquidation.
Staff arrived at the St Helens Glass factory as normal on Thursday but were given the news at a special meeting and told they no longer had jobs.
No-one from the company was available to confirm details of the meeting.
St Helens Trading Standards officials revealed on Thursday they have been investigating the firm since 2003.
Shell-shocked workers emerged from the building with news of the meeting on Thursday morning.
Trading inquiry
One tearful employee told the BBC: "We've just been made redundant."
Her friend, who did not give her name, added: "We only found out today.
"We came into work as normal and all hell broke loose. And they have just been in and told us now that that's it."
Another employee said: "We've got no jobs. We can claim redundancy from the government but that's it."
St Helens Glass was formed in 1970 with an initial workforce of six people.
Its website says the company has grown to almost 500 employees across the North West and Scotland.
St Helens Trading Standards official Darrell Wilson told the BBC that an investigation into the company had been ongoing for four years.
"We have received quite a few complaints about St Helens Glass and we have been liaising with the Office of Fair Trading for some time.
"Anyone who has concerns should ring the consumer direct headline."
The company told the BBC that it would be unable to comment until Friday.
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