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All Woolworths stores are to close by January 4th, the retailer's administrators Deloitte have confirmed.

Last-ditch attempts to rescue Woolworths were abandoned last week and the retailer launched a closing-down sale across its 807 branches.

Shelves were emptied and bargain hunters queued around the block, giving Woolworths record sales.

However, with no buyer willing to take on the company's £350 million debt, Deloitte said the chain would shut its doors for the final time in early January and the stores sold off.

Around 27,000 staff will become unemployed as a result of the closures.

Deloitte said store closures will start on December 27th, but Woolworths staff will be paid at least until the end of the year.

Sales will continue until the stores close, with new stock replenishing the shelves, including 200,000 copies of the new X-Factor single with a 20 per cent discount.

Woolworths has been a familiar sight on the high street for almost a century but in recent years sales have fallen sharply as shoppers changed their habits and bought the same products online or in supermarkets.

Shopworkers union Usdaw stated it was appalled by the news.

John Gorle, Usdaw national officer, said: "We are shocked that staff will only be given ten days' notice of store closures and deeply disappointed by the news that no buyer has yet been found for Woolworths.

"Redundancy is devastating at any time of the year, but particularly so at Christmas."

He added the union was in talks with the administrators to secure the best possible redundancy terms for Woolworths workers.

John Hannett, Usdaw general secretary added: "I am personally devastated for the 30,000 Woolworths staff and our members can rest assured we will do everything we can to assist them at this difficult time.

"The Woolworths staff are extremely loyal, dedicated and well trained and wherever vacancies exist in the retail sector we will use our contacts to find alternative employment as speedily as possible."