TWO hundred workers are to lose their jobs with the closure of a Bolton plastics factory.

Staff at Lorival Plastics in William Street, Little Lever, will be made redundant by mid-August because of mounting debts and a slump in demand for the company's goods.

Union chiefs had hoped to save the company but talks between administrators Deloitte and Touche and a prospective buyer failed last Friday. The redundancies come as a further blow to Bolton's already dwindling manufacturing and textile industries.

Workers at the plastics firm were told they are being made redundant in a statement earlier this week. The first 16 left yesterday with more expected to walk out of the gates for the last time today. Bill Dawson, a partner in Deloitte and Touche said: "If things do not change and there is not another offer then August is a realistic timescale of when we will complete customer orders and close."

The company went into liquidation before Christmas with administrators appointed in late March. Staff are made up almost entirely of local people and the company is around 60 years old.

One worker, who did not want to be named, said: "It is shutting downcompletely. The factory is scaling down now and they have been making people redundant all day across the shifts.

"It was not that much of a shock because the company have been having problems but it is still hard to take on board that we are jobless."

Another worker added: "We are absolutely gutted. We were expecting that something might happen but not straight away. They have not given us a date of when the factory is to close for good but their is a general winding down. There is going to be no production after August." Another employee, who has worked their for 15 years said: "People went yesterday and everyone is going to leave over the next three weeks. It is very sad."

Redundancy notices detailing the loss of 18 jobs were put up at the firm two months ago. Notices at the troubled plant were also posted last year before attempts were made to secure the business by moving sister company Elford Plastics onto the site.

But redundancy talks re-emerged early this year after negotiations failed.

Mr Dawson said: "The situation is that we have not found a buyer. There have been interested parties but none have been able to complete a deal. We are planning to wind down over a period of time."

The firm makes plastic coverings for a number of companies, including fruit machine manufacturers Barcrest and Sainsbury's garden furniture.

News of job losses at Lorival Plastics comes just weeks after 145 shift workers were made redundant at the Robert Fletcher Paper Mill, Stoneclough, which closed with debts totalling £1.8 million. More than 200 jobs were also lost as two factories of textile manufacturer CV Home Furnishings in Farnworth and Bradley Fold shut down in January after a slump in demand.

Woodrow-Universal Limited, based at Lorne Street Mills, Farnworth, made 23 workers redundant in April when it closed its Household Textile Division.

Around 67 redundancies were also announced at Watson Steel, Lostock, earlier this year and 30 jobs were axed at paper machinery makers Sandusky Walmsley Ltd, Crompton Way, Bolton.