Dozens of local people have been made redundant following the closure of another big firm.

More than 100 workers - many from Lancaster and Morecambe - are facing a New Year without jobs following the closure of WRM Logistics Paperlink in Milnthorpe.

The haulage firm shut its doors on Christmas Eve after administrators were unable to find a buyer for the business.

The costs of continuing to trade over the extended Christmas holiday period were said to be too high.

Drivers, office staff and other employees will receive the statutory redundancy payout while the company's assets and vehicles will be disposed of piece-meal.

Administrators were brought into WRM Logistics Paperlink in early December after problems emerged at one of its sister companies as a result of a bad debt.

The Milnthorpe firm itself was said to have been trading at break-even.

The company, which operated more than 65 vehicles from part of the former Libby's site and other nationwide locations, providing transport focused on the paper and pack-aging industry, continued to trade while administrators sought a buyer.

A prospective purchaser was in the offing but later withdrew, says joint administrator Mike Horrocks of Price-waterhouseCoopers.

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He told the Citizen: "It is unfortunate there have been redun-dancies, particularly at this time of the year."

He hoped most employees would be able to find alternative work and pointed to a national shortage of drivers.

This latest blow to the local econ-omy comes after Moll Industries closed just before Christmas with the loss of 151 jobs.