THE owner of Arvella Bridal has spoken publicly for the first time since the abrupt closure of her Lyndhurst shop.

Lisa Clarkson said she was "very sorry" but that she had been let down too and that threats had been made to her and her family.

She said: "I am so sorry that people have been caught up in this mess. None of this was intentional."

The 33-year-old director of the limited company added that everything was being done to help brides-to-be getting married in the next few weeks.

"Myself and my staff have tried everything possible to make sure that they are all sorted as much as we can.

"We are still working together to get them dresses."

She said she was "really really sorry" for the way the business had gone.

Commenting on why Arvella had closed she said: "It is the way the market is. We tried desperately within the shop not to be in this position."

She said that she herself had been let down by suppliers and support that she thought she had, but didn't.

Mrs Clarkson, who lives in Warsash, confirmed that threats had been made to her and her family including the kidnap of her two Labradors.

"These things have happened and the police were present," she said. However, the police have received no formal reports of these incidents.

Speaking from a Lyndhurst hotel she added: "We have still been sorting out brides."