IT looked likely last night that brewers Marston’s have played Fairy Godmother to staff at a Cambridgeshire pub left high and dry after a publican suddenly upped and left.

Staff at the Little London pub in Wisbech Road, March, complained to the Cambs Times that they had not been paid for the week prior to Christmas after the landlord upped sticks.

One staff member said: “Some of us have families and bills to pay but Marston’s say they will not pay as this was the responsibility of the people running their pub.”

But a brewery spokesman last night insisted that all staff would be paid and that the pub was now under new management.

A spokesman for Marston’s said: “We are very disappointed about the incident at the Little London Inn and we deeply sympathise with all the staff at the pub.

“We have drafted in another retailer immediately, Salvatore Savino from the Rose and Crown, Oundle, who will now take the helm at the pub.

“He is a very experienced retailer and we are delighted he’ll be joining the Little London Inn to help us through this difficult period and ensure the well being of the staff.

“We are delighted that he will be retaining all current staff on the payroll.”