A UNION is considering taking legal action over the way 24 workers were made redundant at a Darwen wallpaper firm last week.

The workers at Zen Wallcoverings, Cross Street, Darwen, were made redundant last Thursday -- after the firm had spent a month in receivership under accountants Grant Thornton.

Ken Lowe, of the GMB union which is representing the staff, said the receivers had not followed redundancy procedures agreed between the union and the company.

And three of the workers have claimed they were 'chucked out like cat litter' with summer holidays looming.

The three workers claim all 24 staff were called to an office last Thursday and told as a group they were being made redundant with immediate effect and three days pay.

They said they were not given any holiday pay, leaving them needing to borrow to fund summer holidays and live.

The move is permitted because the company is in receivership, and the workers can claim the money back from the government's national insurance fund at a later date.

The three said they were consulting with Mr Lowe on taking legal action for wrongful dismissal. Mr Lowe said redundancy criteria agreed with Zen Wallcoverings had not been followed.

He added: "We certainly didn't agree on the criteria for redundancies. I'm not happy with the way it has been created.

"We are seeking legal opinion. The members have gone to the union's solicitors and we are looking after them.

"They were told on the spot on Thursday that they didn't have a job." Paul Grendall, 34, worked at the firm for six years. He lives at Richmond Terrace, Darwen, with his wife and two children. He goes on holiday to Greece for a fortnight next week, but has had to borrow money from his mother to pay for it now.

"I wouldn't have booked it if I knew I wasn't going to get holiday pay.

"We weren't given any notice. I expected to go but I thought I would be treated better and given some holiday pay. I'm gutted ever since." Mr Grendall was a forklift truck driver.

He said his licence to drive the machine only applied to Zen Wallcoverings, so it would be hard to be employed in the same role elsewhere. Dominic Ceraldi, 29, had worked at the firm for four-and-a-half years as a cylinder operator. He lives with his wife at Park Road, Darwen.

"It's just how they've gone about it," said Dominic. "They just came up to use on Thursday morning and said can you come to the office.

"All 24 were there at the same time and they just said as from now you are going to leave, and are getting paid up until today.

"Everybody knew something like this had been coming because it had been so quiet, but they had not given any indication of who was on the list.

"Nobody has any money now, all we've got is the three day's pay. They haven't taken years of service into consideration."

Terry Atkinson, 34, was also a cylinder operator. He lives at Two Gates Drive, Darwen, with his wife and four children. He had been at Zen Wallcoverings for five years.

He said he has had to postpone plans to go on holiday now.

"We have been chucked out like cat litter. I don't know what I am going to do. When we were in the office they didn't even read out our names."

Manchester-based accountants Grant Thornton were called in three weeks ago to deal with Zen Wallcovering's financial crisis.

Receiver Les Ross, said: "Should any employees have issues they would like to raise then they should raise them direct with the receiver or his representatives."