Trade contractors across Lancashire are left holding worthless invoices after the firm went under last week with the loss of 70 jobs.

Hayvern went down with around £1m worth of work on its books, including hospital jobs at the Royal Bolton Hospital, Stepping Hill in Stockport and Salford Royal.

Anthony Axford Limited, a timber supplier based in Farnworth, provided wood on a daily basis and is owed around £10,000.

Director Martin Axford told the Bolton News: “We’ve worked with Hayvern for 20 years, it’s upsetting.

“But it’s part and parcel of what is going on at the moment. We’re owed £10,000 and we’ve no chance of getting it back.

“We’ve lots of other customers, thankfully, but it doesn’t help us and I’m worried about the knock-on effects for others.”

Subcontractors are also suffering in the wake of the collapse.

One, who did not want to be named, has lost around half its workload and is already reducing staff hours.

A spokesman said: “We are owed tens of thousands of pounds and around half our work was for Hayvern.

“We’re considering taking legal action to recover the money. We hope to find alternative work. This has had a massive impact on the company.”

Another subcontractor worked with the firm for 15 years and is also waiting to receive tens of thousands of pounds.

The manager said: “I know they’ve been having difficulties. It was cashflow but I don’t know the reasons. It’s hard for us, we won’t get the money.

“We scaled down working for them because they were struggling to pay. We have other jobs on, but firms going under is becoming a problem.”