Over 1000 Scottish jobs are at risk from the possible collapse of 89-year-old stores group BHS.

The high street chain is set to fall into administration with a threat to 11,000 UK jobs making it the biggest retail crash since Woolworths in 2008.

BHS has 16 stores in Scotland including 12 across the central belt, two in Ayrshire and outlets in Dundee and Aberdeen.

Sports Direct, owned by Rangers shareholder Mike Ashley, is said to have pulled out of a possible rescue deal late last week.

Read more: BHS announce 370 job cuts and warn dozens of shops could close down

That followed a refusal by Topshop tycoon Sir Philip Green, a major BHS creditor, to back a £60m refinancing by the chain’s owner Dominic Chappell.

Sir Philip offloaded the loss-making BHS from his retail empire last year, selling it to former racing driver and twice-bankrupt Mr Chappell for £1.

The tycoon’s Arcadia empire still has £100m of annual sales through BHS, while Mr Ashley was considering investing to obtain sales outlets.

Duff & Phelps, the firm appointed by Craig Whyte as administrators to Rangers in 2012, and also involved in the controversial wind-up of Mr Ashley’s clothing chain USC last year, is said to have been called in by Sir Philip for the administration of BHS.

Read more: BHS to find out whether creditors back turnaround plans

An administration would put more than 160 shops across the UK in danger, hitting not only staff but landlords, suppliers and lenders. Last month BHS struck a deal with creditors and landlords to give some respite on property costs, securing the backing of 95per cent of creditors for hefty rent cuts which appeared to have given the chain a lifeline.

But it still has debts of £1.3billion, including £571m of pension liabilities. The Pensions Regulator is pursuing Sir Philip for a contribution to the deficit, and is said to have rejected an offer of £80m. The scheme is likely to pass to the Pension Protection Fund, triggering a 10per cent cut in future benefits for two-thirds of its 20,000 members.

Read more: BHS job losses feared amid administration rumours

Five years ago Sir Philip was a target for demonstrators who occupied branches of Topshop, Burton, BHSand Miss Selfridge in an attack over the Arcadia group's tax bills. The tycoon is said to have channelled £400m in dividends to his wife Tina, who like Sir Philip is based in the tax haven of Monaco.