A WEBSITE is being developed to provide the 140 Rossendale workers facing redundancy with support and advice.

In a bid to help employees at Bacup's E Sutton & Son Ltd get to grips with the potential job losses, footwear chiefs are joining forces with management at Jobcentre Plus to create the informative site.

Bosses at East Lancashire's last remaining major footwear manufacturer broke the news to employees on Monday morning after announcing plans to move production abroad.

The move means that Rossendale's once-proud footwear industry, which used to employ 20,000 people, has all but died.

In the 1990s, firms like Lambert Haworth, the Bacup Shoe Company and Newman's all pulled out of manufacturing in the Valley - taking thousands of livelihoods with them.

Janet Anderson, Rossendale's MP, said: "I have just spoken to the company. There is a 90-day consultation period so it's not final but it's certainly not looking very good.

"The company tell me that they just can't compete with imports from places like China.

"They are under constant pressure to reduce their margins for retail. This will be a sad day for Rossendale as they are effectively the last footwear manufacturer in the Valley.

"However, the company are setting up a website and are in contact with Jobcentre Plus.

"I just hope that with new opportunities in the Valley such as Futures Park and Lower Mills, there will be jobs for workers facing redundancies."