FAMILIES in Huddersfield may never get treasured photos after an international company went into administration.

Olan Mills Photography has an office in Leeds city centre, but closed abruptly just before Christmas.

The sudden closure has shocked one Huddersfield family who had turned up for a photo shoot last weekend.

They found the office locked and in darkness, with notices pasted on the windows stating the firm had stopped trading.

Now it is feared that many more Huddersfield families may have paid in advance for photo shoots which will never happen.

And if people who have had photos taken in recent weeks have not received them by the end of this week they won't be getting them at all, administrators have revealed.

A Golcar man who asked not to be named said: "We paid upfront for a year-long package of four photo shoots.

"The fee is quite small - around £25 including a 10in by 8in photo per sitting - but the photos Olan Mills took were usually very good, so we normally bought more.

"Oddly enough the last photo shoot we did was in early December. But the photos were not that good, mainly because our children are young and it was difficult to get the pictures we wanted.

"So we re-booked for early January, but when we went last Saturday we discovered the premises shut up."

Olan Mills was founded in the USA in 1932 and grew to have studios across the UK and also in some Mothercare stores.

All have now closed.

A statement to customers from the administrators says: "Following an initial review of the business and its finances the administrators regret to inform you that the companies are unfortunately no longer able to continue trading.

"All stores have now closed and we are unable to fulfil any further appointments.

"Where possible, the administrators have now satisfied outstanding orders for photographs.

"All images that were uploaded to the head office system have now been printed and dispatched.

"Photographs that remained in the studios awaiting collection have also been retrieved and sent out via a central distribution facility.

"If your order was placed through a Mothercare concession we - along with Mothercare - are doing everything we can to ensure these orders are sent out.

"Unfortunately, if your images were not uploaded to the head office prior to the insolvency of Olan Mills we are unable to process these goods.

"If your order included a frame we were not able to send the photos in frames. But where possible the photos have been dispatched.

"If you have not received your order by January 12, regrettably these orders will now not be fulfilled. Unfortunately the administrators are also unable to make any refunds of money paid for these items."