BURNLEY MP Peter Pike is seeking an urgent meeting with bosses at the Michelin factory which announced 452 job losses last week.

After meeting with union representatives, Mr Pike said he would travel to France to see what could be done to ease the blow of the redundancies.

News of the job losses was followed by the announcement of further job losses at Rolls-Royce in Barnoldswick.

Mr Pike described the meeting with unions at the Michelin factory, which will close in March next year with the loss of all 452 jobs, as "useful".

He added that it would be wrong to raise the hopes of employees working at the plant on the Heasandford Industrial estate, but felt that a meeting with management in France was necessary.

Mr Pike has also promised to raise the matter with Treasury spokesman and Gordon Brown's number two, Andrew Smith.