BRIDALWEAR firms have rallied round to save the day for hundreds of North-East brides who feared they would not be able to wear their dream dresses.

More than 300 brides have been caught up in the chaos after one of the region's biggest bridalwear companies had its assets frozen.

Manhattan - which has outlets in Newcastle and Darlington - hit trouble last week when the group became embroiled in a fraud investigation.

Although the inquiry centres on another company, all Manhattan's assets have been frozen until further notice, leaving the company unable to fulfill orders.

Manhattan's Darlington shop remains open but the Tyneside stores have been closed and hundreds of brides were warned they might not get the dress they had ordered.

Staff spent the weekend holding negotiations with some of Britain's biggest suppliers of wedding gowns.

They hoped the companies would agree to break protocol and deal direct with Manhattan's anxious customers.

And last night, proprietor Claire Bartlett said she had negotiated with about 12 dress manufacturers, all of which had agreed in principle to supply brides with their gowns.

She said 150 brides had already picked up their dresses from the Blackwellgate shop. Details of another 200 are to be faxed to manufacturers so they can send the dresses directly to them.

"I think 99 per cent of brides are going to get their dresses," she said. "If not, I will be trying to offer them something. I'm not shutting my doors until every bride has got something. Hopefully, I won't even have to shut the doors after that."

George Efstratiou, director of sales at dress manufacturer Helen Marina, said brides would get their gowns if they could produce a receipt.

"Our utmost concern is to not let any bride down," he said.

"Any bride who contacts us with a receipt can pay us the balance on the price of the dress and we will post the dress directly to them."

Accountancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward, which is administering Manhattan's assets, said it could not comment on the investigation.