Redundant staff from shopping giant C&A have decided to go it alone - opening up their own clothing company in the famous former Brown Muff store.

Managers have ploughed their redundancy money into the new Lostboys company and opened the Market Street department store today.

The empty shop has blighted the city centre since book company Dillons moved out 18 months ago, following a £4m facelift in the historic building.

But today the shop was buzzing again as former Bradford C&A manager Dave Gibson, and Jon Greenwood, who was in charge of the Brighton store, threw open the doors.

They have taken on seven redundant staff from Bradford C&A and hope to expand the workforce.

Jon, who lives in Mirfield, said today: "We would like ultimately to have 20 stores across the country and we are sure that this can be done. We are still buying from C&A's suppliers and selling quality clothes at reasonable prices."

The partners intended to open the store when they were ready for all three floors to operate.

But today Lord Mayor, Councillor Ghazanfer Khaliq, opened the shop with just the ground floor open because of the huge public interest.

Jon, pictured with shop assistants Brenda Maloney and Doreen Hill, said shoppers had been peering in windows, trying the doors and plying them with questions.

Jon and Dave, who lives in Hebden Bridge, said they sold clothes originally for C&A, and then their own company, on remote Scottish islands and picked the name for the company because they often got lost.

Jon said: "Bradford has had its problems because of the riots in summer, but that hasn't put us off. I know Bradford well because I started work at Bradford C&A as a kid in 1981.

"We know it is a great city and there's a lot of potential. We are confident of success here."

The partners are refitting the store, despite the multi-million pound refurbishment for Dillons, because the empty store had become shabby and run down. They say it will cost at least half a million pounds - including most of their redundancy pay - to get it running.

But they say the second floor will open next week, followed by the third before Christmas.

Brenda Maloney, 53, who had worked at Bradford C&A since she was 15, said: "This was a bolt out of the blue. When we all left C&A in the summer Dave told us he would see us again in autumn. We're all friends and are delighted to be together again."

Deputy Council leader Richard Wightman said: "We very much welcome a new quality store in Bradford. I hope they are very profitable and create some real investment in Bradford and the region."

Brown Muff and Company opened in Market Street as a department store in 1871 and closed in 1977 after more than 100 years of trading.

The shop re-opened as Rackhams in 1978, then closed in 1995 with the loss of more than 100 jobs. Dillons took over the store in 1996, but shut 18 months ago after a merger with Waterstone's.