UP TO 200 workers were bracing themselves for a major redundancies blow today amid fears that scores of jobs could go at shoe makers Lambert Howarth.

A sweeping review of activities could result in the withdrawal from footwear manufacture at the giant Healey Royd works, Burnley, the Lancashire Evening Telegraph can reveal.

Unofficial sources say that would result in the plant being used only for the storage and distribution of imported shoes - and a massive cut in the workforce. It is understood up to 200 jobs could be at risk.

Staff have not yet been told of the outcome of the review and the company today refused to confirm or deny the threat to production or possible level of redundancies.

But a company spokesman promised a full statement next week - after workers had been informed.

In a preliminary response Burnley site director, Gary Smith, "acknowledged" the company was considering the current and future use of the factory - which last year employed 500 people - to match medium and long term market demands.

He said: "Our first priority is to complete that process of careful consideration and then to inform the staff team at Burnley. "This is due to happen early next week. Only after that will we be able to make a full statement."

The Burnley-based company, a major supplier to Marks and Spencer and other leading stores, also has a major production centre at Greenbridge works, Rawtenstall, which is understood not to be affected by the current review.

The Burnley plant is currently used for the production of ladies' shoes and warehousing imported footwear, which has become an increasingly important factor in the fortunes of the company, quoted on the Stock Exchange.

Offices of Rossendale Union of Boot, Shoe and Slipper Operatives in Rawtenstall, which represents most of the area's footwear workers, were today closed for the local annual holidays and union secretary Michael Murray could not be contacted.

Fears over the future of the 110-year-old footwear firm comes just a month after the last of the 330 axed employees at Burnley's Prestige cookware company left their factory for the last time.

Prestige collapsed into receivership at the start of the year - a bitter blow for the town, compounded later by news that Lucas planned to close one of its Burnley factories over the next two years.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.