HIGH level talks have been held to try to secure the future of an Adlington company earmarked for closure.

Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle has met with bosses of AMEC to discuss the future of its construction services UK head office in Church Street.

The global construction company announced a fortnight ago its plans to close the Adlington office after 120 years and relocate it to Birchwood in Warrington, with as many of the 200 jobs as possible.

But it is believed that there could be as many as 50 compulsory redundancies.

Mr Hoyle has met with company bosses to see if the decision could be reversed and how jobs could be safeguarded.

The MP is also concerned about what will happen to the vacant Church Street office, which only opened six years ago, once the company relocates.

He said: "I have put my views across and left it with them. I would rather they retain the building and keep it open because the company was started in Adlington. Generations of loyal workers have been employed there and they could suddenly to find themselves out of work."

"I have asked AMEC to look to see if they can bring another company into the offices and if they can not, to reconsider their position on closure," said Mr Hoyle.

He added: "I asked them to do the best by the workers who have done their best for the company all these years. And I have spoken to the North West Development Agency which is also trying to help."

The proposed move is the result of the companys construction services and design and management businesses being restructured and merged to create an integrated design and project services division.

Frank Stokes, a spokesman for AMEC, said: "It's too early to say how many redundancies there will be. We are intending to keep these redundancies to a minimum and make sure that it is done sensitively with an outcome that is right for everyone."

He also said it was too early to talk about the future of the building but confirmed the company had not spoken to any other firms about moving into the site.