MOVES to shut a Vimto factory with the loss of 60 jobs have been slammed by Leigh MP Andy Burnham.

Mr Burnham said he has serious concerns about the way drinks company Nichols has handled the planned closure of the Stone Cross Park factory, in Golborne.

He has written to Alan Johnson, the Trade and Industry minister and will raise the matter in Parliament.

Mr Burnham said: "I tried to approach the company to speak to them about the proposed redundancies but they would not enter into discussions with me."

Staff at the factory entered into a 90-day consultation period last month. A further 130 redundancies are expected through the company's plans to relocate its Stockport operations to an existing factory at Haydock.

The company did not want to comment.