SIXTY jobs will be lost at the Potterton Myson factory in Padiham after its parent company announced more than 300 redundancies at its Lancashire operations.

Baxi Heating has now finalised its restructuring plans which will see manufacturing in the county cut from three sites to two.

The company has announced it is to end manufacturing at its Brownedge Road site in Bamber Bridge and switch some production from Padiham where more than 600 people are employed.

Baxi will concentrate its Lancashire operations on its modern factory in Club Street, Bamber Bridge, and at a reduced level in Padiham, where it will consolidate its boiler assembly operations.

The Padiham staff will be relieved that the axe has fallen mainly on Bamber Bridge. There were fears last year that the Wyre Street works could be closed after Baxi bought out Potterton Myson.

The company, one of Europe's leading heating groups with a total of 7,500 workers at plants in the UK, Italy, France, Germany and Denmark, employs 1,900 in Bamber Bridge and Padiham.

The 310 jobs to be lost will go over the next 18 months, but Baxi has stressed that they include 100 temporary workers at both Bamber Bridge and Padiham.

Baxi managing director Alan Hannah, said: " The UK Heating industry is going through a periood of great change. Boiler markets are becoming increasingly international and environmental policies are driving boiler efficiency standards even higher.

"These changes mean that UK businesses such as Baxi and Potterton need to become much more efficient and innovative if they are to compete effectively against other UK and European heating groups.

"Thge outcome of the proposals would be a leaner and more efficient businesses, operating out of two quality factories in which future investment could be utilised more effectively."