The Body Shop has gone into administration, putting three Hertfordshire stores at risk.

The retailer's shops will remain open as usual while administrators FRP Advisory try to save the business, but Herts stores in St Albans, Atria Watford, and an outlet store at The Galleria in Hatfield could be at risk.

FRP has confirmed it would now consider all options to find a way forward for the business, they they are expected to seek buyers for the company.

The Body Shop has more than 200 stores across the UK, with 2,000 jobs at risk.

The cosmetics retailer was bought by private equity firm Aurelius just weeks ago, but reports claim that trading over the key Christmas period and January was not as strong as first hoped.

The Body Shop was founded in Brighton in 1976 by Anita Roddick, an environmental campaigner, activist and entrepreneur who owned the business for 30 years until selling it to L’Oréal in 2006.

By this time, the retailer had become synonymous with its ethical beliefs, including a refusal to stock products tested on animals and a sourcing natural ingredients, but the £652 million deal came under criticism as it was seen as a departure from company values.