Workers at a Walton music store turned up to work today to learn they had lost their jobs, as the shop fell victim to the recession.

Employees at troubled Zavvi, based in the Heart development, learned their fate when were confronted with a shut shop and had to help clear it.

The store was axed with immediate effect, along with 16 others, leaving 242 people jobless overnight.

One of eight ex-employees at the Walton store, who did not wish to be named, said: “I only found out I’d lost my job this morning. We thought it might happen because other stores were closing but we didn’t know anything for sure.

“I guess I’ll have to wait and see what comes along now. There’s nothing you can do I suppose.”

Zavvi’s downward slope began when Woolworths Entertainment UK collapsed, as it was the company’s main suppliers and left them struggling to take customer orders.

It is thought the remaining stores will continue to trade as efforts are made to sell the company.

Joint administrator Tom Jack said: “Despite record consumer demand since Christmas, it is no longer possible to support continued trading across all of the Zavvi stores.

“Unfortunately the current difficulties faced on the UK high street seem to be discouraging retailers from investing in a significant number of new stores.”