Customers have been left in the lurch following the collapse of a jewellery business.

Elland woman Kirsty Mellor is hoping to get her precious engagement ring back after insolvency experts were called in to Kingston Diamond Merchants, which has branches in Brighouse and Halifax.

Kirsty, who works in HR, had taken her engagement ring into the branch at Commercial Street, Brighouse, to find out how much it would cost to take the setting of the ring and attach it to a necklace.

She said: “My husband bought me a new ring for our silver wedding and the engagement ring has been in the jewellery box, so I thought if it was made into a necklace I could continue wearing it.”

Kirsty was due to return to find out the cost and to choose a chain, but got a phone call saying the business was going into administration and asking her to call in and collect her ring.

Kirsty said she missed the call because she was at work and only found out later that day. “I rang back at 4.55pm and there was no answer,” she said. “I went to the shop and it was empty.”

A notice on the door said customers with pre-owned items would be contacted within 10 days, but after a week without hearing anything, she posted on Facebook to see if anyone had any details.

Other people who posted on Facebook offered advice while some said they had credit notes with the company running into hundreds of pounds.

Another posted: “Sorry to hear this, Kirsty. I bought my wedding ring from there five years ago and have left it with them numerous time for cleaning, so could easily be in your shoes.”

Kirsty said insolvency firm Booth & Co based in Ossett, which is handling the company’s affairs, had emailed to say they were sorting matters out and would be in touch within seven to 10 days to arrange for her to collect her ring. Said Kirsty: “I am hoping they are true to their word and I get my ring back.”

The Brighouse branch of Kingston Diamond Merchants featured in the second series of BBC TV’s The Sheriffs Are Coming – last screened in 2014 – which followed High Court enforcement officers pursuing £6,813 owed to a young couple.

The company website says Kingston Diamond Merchants specialises in importing and manufacturing diamond jewellery, supplying secondhand and antique jewellery and re-mounting existing jewellery.

Phil Booth, managing director of Booth & Co, was unavailable for comment.