NEWS that more than half the staff at a state of the art warehousing and distribution centre in Burnley are to lose their jobs has been greeted with anger by the workforce.

Around 70 of the 120 workers at Cornwell Parker, which makes and distributes textiles, at its site on the Network 65 business park, Bentley Wood Way, have been told they are being made redundant.

But the points system used by management to decide who will lose their jobs has been branded "a disgrace" by workers.

Cornwell Parker is part of the Barnoldswick-based Silentnight Group. Group chief executive Bill Simpson said: "We have been trying to sell the business as a going concern, but have failed to do so.

"We have had to make the cuts because we have lost two majors customers, Monkwell Fabrics and GP & J Bakers."

Mr Simpson admitted to not knowing how the points system worked, but added: "It is a means of determining which people are selected for redundancy."

He said the redundancies would start with 40 losing their jobs tomorrow and 49 staff would be left at the plant following all the job losses in the next few weeks. He said: "We are still discussing the future for the Burnley plant and looking at the various options."

Workers claimed that under the points system they were given marks for their attendance, skills, punctuality and disciplinary record and told that those with the highest points would get the remaining jobs. But they expressed concern that it wasn't happening.

One worker who refused to be named said: "They told us that under the points system, whoever had the most would get the jobs that were left, but I know for a fact that one of the cloth cutters jobs went to someone who had less points than three other men." Steve Pickup, who lives in Knuzden, has worked at the plant for the past three years. He said: "I feel let down. I think it is absolutely disgusting at the way they have done it.

"I am the most skilled worker at the plant, but I've still been asked to leave."

Another worker who would only be identified as Jason said: "It is the way they have done it that I don't like."

Ismail Lajporia, from Blackburn has worked at the plant since it opened in 1997. After news of his redundancy, he feels it is time for a change. He said: "I feel bad, very bad. I am sick of factory work.

"When I leave I am going to seek advice about another career."

The centre is one of Europe's largest specialised textile and wallpaper facilities.

Before the site was built management said: "We chose Burnley because it is at the centre of the UK's traditional textile manufacturing industry and gives us access to the specialised skills we need.

"The location offers excellent worldwide transport links by land, sea and air.

"Burnley also gives us access to the region's most modern telecommunications infrastructure." Those words will seem empty now.