UP to 85 Witham workers could face redundancy after a company which specialises in installing solar panels went into administration.

Climate Energy, based in Freebournes Road, has not said how many redundancies will be made, but said most staff had been “stood down” with immediate effect.

Singing star Olly Murs is a former employee at the firm, where he gave advice on energy efficiency.

Employee Debra Howlett-Morley, of Bronte Road, 58, said the news had come “out of the blue” last Wednesday.

She said: “We didn’t see it coming.  Climate Energy is a massive company with regards to solar installation.

“As I understand it, they didn’t get paid for a lot of jobs. They couldn’t stay in business.

“They called us in at 11am and the whole of the company went in to the meeting room.  

"We all got told to go home. They gave us just an hour to collect our belongings and leave the building. No-one saw it coming at all.”

Climate Energy was the second green energy firm to fold in a week after Leicester-based firm the Mark Group announced 1,000 redundancies.

The closures have been blamed on Government subsidy cuts to green energy projects.

See this week's Witham Times for the full story.