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Typhoo Tea is set to appoint administrators as the 120-year-old brand's sales slump, losses widen and debts rise.

The company has filed a notice at court "which affords the company some breathing space to explore solutions", Typhoo's chief executive Dave McNulty told the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳.

The firm has been trying to turn itself around for some time.

However, it suffered a setback after trespassers damaged its former factory in Moreton, Merseyside last year.

"Given the delicate nature of this we are not in a position to comment any further," said McNulty.

He added that the "notice of intent" is to appoint accountancy firm EY to handle the process.

"This does not mean we are in administration," he said, adding it was "an on-going confidential process".

The company's losses widened to £38m from £9.6m in the year to the end of September 2023, which are the most recent results available. Sales fell to to £25.3m from £33.7m.

The results also revealed £24.1m worth of "exceptional costs", some of which relates to the break-in at the Moreton plant, which was shut down last year.

Typhoo said: "During August 2023, a group of organised trespassers broke into the Moreton site and occupied it for several days."

It added that the trespassers caused "extensive damage" and made the site "inaccessible".

It said a lot of tea was rendered unusable and it was unable to fulfil some orders to customers.

Typhoo Tea was founded in 1903 and is widely seen as one of the UK's main tea brands, alongside the likes of PG Tips, Tetley's and Yorkshire Tea.