TWO family-owned stores in Wiltshire selling Thorntons chocolate have escaped the cuts recently announced by the high street retailer.

Chocolate maker Thorntons announced last week that none of its stores will reopen after the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdowns are lifted. The decision to close its 61 shops will put more than 600 jobs at risk.

Family-run Cardzone, which manages Hallmark/Thorntons in The Shires shopping centre in Trowbridge and Card Box/ Thorntons in the Three Horseshoes Walk in Warminster said they will stay open.

In a statement issued on local social media, they said: "We are not owned by Thorntons; we are part of a family-run business called Cardzone so this will not affect us.

"We will not be closing. We will also continue to stock Thorntons chocolates."

The company said it hopes to reopen the stores on Monday, April 12 when lockdown restrictions are lifted, adding: "We look forward to seeing all our valued customers once we reopen."