JOBS were saved at a threatened Mellor Brook bakery after a buyer was found.

Cheshire company Flash Sandersons Ltd secured 44 jobs at Sandersons Bakery, Whalley Road, after buying the firm for £65,500.

The family bakery, which opened in Bacup in the 1930s, called in administrators in September after suffering cashflow difficulties and creditor pressure.

After opening in the 1930s, the firm expanded in 1949 and opened a bakery in Mellor Brook.

In 1984, it moved to a 12,000 sq ft property at Ramsgreave Bakery, Pleckgate Road, Blackburn.

It had registered as a limited liability partnership (LLP) called Sandersons Confectioners, in 2011. Its partners were Clarence, Cyril, Glyn, John, and Martin Sanderson, and Rachel Sawer.

The bakery continued to supply confectionery to shops, hotels, schools, hospitals, and catering firms across the north west. A report from joint administrators, Mark Colman and John Titley, of Leonard Curtis, revealed the company had defaulted on payments to HM Revenue and Customs.

Nearly £240,000 was owed to unsecured creditors, including £60,166 to HMRC.

Money was also owed to several East Lancs firms, including Academy Print and Design in Altham, Chapman Electrical Services Ltd in Rossendale, Lee & Sons Potatoes Limited in Oswaldtwistle, Nationwide in Nelson, Shirley’s Recycling Limited in Darwen, and Pendle Print Ltd in Clitheroe.

A total of 22 East Lancs firms registered as creditors.

Joint administrator Mark Colman said: “The demise of a well established, traditional East Lancashire business which has traded since the 1930s demonstrates the ongoing challenges to the small and medium-sized businesses market in the north west.

“However, despite the company falling into administration, we were able to secure a successful sale of the business as a going concern, which has resulted in securing 44 jobs in the local community.”

Flash Sandersons Ltd is ‘a new company set up as the purchasing vehicle for Sandersons’, Mr Colman added, although he said the two firms were ‘unconnected parties’.