ANGRY workers say they were axed from an historic car dealership without warning.

Staff working for the Citroen franchise at the former Dickinson Brothers dealership at Over Square, Winsford, one of the oldest established independent dealers in the country, say they have been left high and dry.

The company, founded in 1919, operated both the Mazda and Citroen franchises from the same site. As revealed in the Chronicle last month, it had to call in receivers, Baker Tilly, after falling into financial difficulty. Initially all 38 staff were kept on, only for the axe for fall before it was sold.

Receiver Stephen Quinn, of Baker Tilly, admitted this week: 'That decision was taken before the business was sold, it was not viable to continue with the Citroen franchise.' One of the 20 workers to lose their jobs, who asked not to be named, said: 'We were told all 38 jobs had been saved, but now 20 of us have gone. I thought I had a job for life. I have got no money coming in now and I feel like we have been left high and dry.'

The Mazda business has been bought by Neil Shepherdson, managing director of Oakmere Toyota, of Northwich, and will now trade as Oakmere Mazda.

Mr Shepherdson said: 'The jobs were lost before I took over - they were nothing to do with me. I have attempted to save the jobs because there was no-one else who was putting their hand in.' Mr Shepherdson founded Oakmere Toyota in 1981 in Northwich he also owns Christopher Nield.