BURY South MP Ivan Lewis has met with bosses of a Radcliffe company to try and prevent 130 job losses.

Mr Lewis had talks with chiefs at Dumers Lane-based confectionery manufacturers Adams on Friday (Jan 10) following the news that it wants to cut its workforce to 320 as a result of a stateside slump in sales.

He said: "I expressed my concern on behalf of the workers and their families and I have received assurances that there will be proper consultation with the trade unions and that every effort will be made to avoid compulsory redundancies."

Mr Lewis added: "I have also offered to make representation to Cadbury Schweppes, who are about to become the new owner of Adams with regard to the longer term future of the Radcliffe operation. The Radcliffe site is regarded as a centre of excellence in its field and I will be making the case for future long term investment rather than further contraction of the site."

The potential crisis at Adams, which makes the famous Hall's Mentho Lyptus, follows the transfer of a third of the company's production to Toronto to supply its biggest market in the USA. But this has failed to achieve the company's projected growth sales in North America.

GMB union convenor Val Byrom said that trade union representatives met with management on Friday to agree a schedule for meetings to discuss the situation.