High street clothing retailer M&Co has announced plans to reopen a number of its stores across the UK.

In February, the retailer announced that its Essex stores would be closing.

It followed an announcement in December that M&Co had entered administration for the second time in just over two years.

Before closing, there were M&Co stores in Frinton, Witham, Rayleigh, Wickford, Billericay and on Canvey Island.

However, the business has since been acquired by AK Retail Holdings and a relaunch will see clothes sold both online and in the high street.

The first store openings are expected to take place in early autumn and as many as 50 stores are expected to reopen over the next two years.

M&Co has not yet, however, confirmed which stores will be reopen, so the future of the brand's stores in Essex remains unknown. 

Andrew Killingsworth, chief exucutive officer of M&Co, said: "We are truly excited about this acquisition and the opportunity to restore the M&Co brand.

"M&Co has an incredible heritage and a loyal customer following, and our goal is to honour that legacy by providing an unparalleled shopping experience while preserving the brand's identity.

"We are committed to bringing M&Co back to the high streets across the country.

"Our focus is on delivering quality, trend-led and affordable products to our valued customers, as well as providing exceptional service and an enjoyable shopping experience both online and offline.

"We are confident that our revitalisation efforts will make M&Co a go-to destination once again."

Final negotiations for store locations are being actively worked on and updates will be shared by the business in the coming weeks.