THE chairman and two other directors of Wolstenholme Rink have resigned following a management buyout deal getting the go ahead.

Rodger Booth and his colleagues have quit their roles at the Darwen firm following the agreement by shareholders to the £48.7million deal.

Last month, bosses at the Darwen-based firm announced the management buy-out but assured workers that no redundancies were expected as a result of the move.

Wolstenholme Rink employs 650 people and specialises in sales to the ink and printing ink industry all over the world.

The buy-out has been put together by a group of investors and existing directors of Wolstenholme Rink.

The move will mean that the firm is split into two with the Darwen-based site operating as Wolstenholme International with existing directors including Paul Rink, Andrew Rink, Chris Ravenscroft, and two directors from the Rutland Trust at the helm.