ONE of Darwen's biggest employers has announced job cuts blamed partly on continuing problems with the strength of the pound.

Wolstenholme Rink is looking for 14 job losses across production, technical and office staff at its site which employs 206 people in the town.

It is not yet known how many of the cuts will be compulsory but the firm said some of them would be through voluntary redundancy.

Joint managing director Tony Rink said the cuts were due to a combination of factors including the introduction of new machinery and office equipment that needed fewer staff to operate and continuing problems with export orders.

"The effects of the strength of the pound has been very painful for us because 85 per of what we export goes abroad," said Mr Rink.

Last year he blamed the Government's handling of the economy for problems facing British manufacturers.

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