MORE than 100 workers have been laid off for six weeks because of the devastation caused to their factory by flooding.

Staff at bed linen manufacturer Westpoint Stevens were told on Friday that their factory is not likely to be back into full production until July 24.

The factory at Hope Street Mill, Halifax Road, Todmorden, was swamped by five feet of water during storms nine days ago.

"The floods caused horrendous damage," said commercial manager Frank Rothwell. "All the machinery was submerged. It's been a very serious blow to us.

"We had five feet of water in the factory; you had to see it to believe it. The cloth warehouse was also affected. We're involved in a multi-million pound investment programme. On the Saturday of the storms we'd just finished installing an overhead rail system for moving products round the factory which cost £400,000.

"We're still assessing the damage to see how bad things are. We're looking at interim measures such as sub-contracting some work. Our main concern is servicing our customers. It's an on-going situation and things are changing from day to day."

The factory employs 150 people of which 108 who work in the factory have been temporarily laid off. They are claiming benefits until they can go back to work.

Millions of pounds worth of damage was caused after heavy rains forced 500 people from their homes and businesses in the worst floods ever to hit the Calder Valley town.