WORKERS at a doomed factory in Accrington have the chance to secure new jobs - just as mass redundancies start to take effect.

More than 500 seasonal jobs have been created by Express Gifts, of Church, and they are being targeted, in part, at workers from Leoni Wiring Systems in Pickup Street.

Accrington Job Centre, in Oak Street, will open specially on Saturday to find people to fill the vacancies.

Leoni is due to close in November when work is transferred to Eastern Europe, with the loss of some 490 jobs. More than 60 jobs have been saved after Hyndburn Council offered Leoni a financial package to relocate some of its workforce to a unit on the Altham Industrial Estate.

Leoni has decided to stagger the redundancies, with the first leavers quitting earlier this month. All will have left by November.

Ian Kent, from Accrington Job Centre, said: "We've had a bad time on the jobs front with so many going at Leoni.

"While these aren't permanent vacancies, we hope many of the employees from Leoni who have yet to get new jobs will come and apply because at least it means they will be in work until Christmas and possibly beyond.

"Express Gifts always make a lot of jobs available at this time of year, but this year's total figure will be higher than usual, which is excellent news."

Express Gifts' Hyndburn site is the base for the firm's distribution service. It also has a personalisation department, where items such a pyjamas and pens have a person's name or initial written on them.

A spokesman for Express said: "This time of year is our busiest and we hope to take on well over 500 members of staff, which is more than last year. Vacancies include picking, packing and despatching of customer orders, rack fillers to replenish stock and carton operatives.

"We are always glad to offer jobs to the community."

The open day runs from 9.20am to 2.30pm.