MANAGEMENT at the Colne car component makers Lear Corporation gave a pledge the plant would not close as they moved to quash rumours of massive job losses.

And they paid tribute to the experienced workforce who keep the wheels at Spring Garden Mill turning, saying the firm will be in Colne for many years to come.

Workers feared as many as 250 people could be out of work as a result of changes being introduced.

It followed an announcement on Monday that half of the presses used at the factory are being transferred to the company's plant at Tipton, near Coventry.

Managing director Peter Berry said: "It is true that because we did not win some orders there will be some redundancies but at this stage we cannot say when. There are no additional redundancies to the 100 already known.

"This is an extensive site and it figures in our long-term plans for improving and modernising Green Road and Riverside."

Eventually, said Mr Berry, the old Spring Garden Mill, part of which is already disused, will be demolished.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.