90 mill jobs to go

There will be about 90 redundancies at the mill, which employs 140 workers.

The massive downturn in the dyeing and finishing market has been blamed for the shock move.

A spokesman for mill owners Whitecroft plc said the downturn had been caused by European customers turning to the Far East for ready-dyed fabric because of duty imposed by the EC on untreated greycloth.

The spokesman said: "Despite considerable investment in its traditional dyeing and finishing business over a number of years, the poor state of domestic trade and the substantial increase in imported dye and printed fabric has led to significant losses being incurred by Star Vale in the sector.

"The decision by the company to focus on its newer and more profitable business will regretfully result in the loss of approximately 90 jobs.

"The company will be taking every step to assist those people affected by this decision to find alternative employment."

Shocked workers were told of their fate yesterday morning. There will follow a period of consultation with the Transport and General Workers Union.

For one devastated worker it was second time he had been made redundant from the mill.

The 42-year-old man, who did not want to be named, spoke to the BEN in tears. He said he had worked at Star Vale several years ago before being made redundant.

He got a job at another mill but says he was asked to return to Star Vale after the plant began to bounce back from its earlier difficulties.

He said: "This is sickening to be made redundant from the place a second time because I have bills and a mortgage round my neck. I don't know what I'm going to do.

"I honestly can't blame the management because they have done wonders here to turn the place round and we would have broken even this year."

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