DEVASTATED workers at Westhoughton aerospace firm Bellhouse Hartwell have received the news they feared -- the factory gates will shut next month.

They had offered to buy the site for £4.3 million in a bid to save 170 jobs.

But directors at parent company Hampson Industries have told them the work will now be moved to a sister company, which has just announced 75 planned redundancies.

Union leaders have insisted that the Bellhouse workers should be given a chance to transfer to BHW Components in Wigan when that factory takes over their order book on July 19.

Ron Ralph, regional officer for Amicus MSF, said: "Hampson's has a moral and legal obligation to look for suitable employment for the Bellhouse Hartwell workers. The work being transferred to Wigan is their work and they should be given a chance to carry on doing it.''

Unions were due to meet company bosses for talks today.

News of the closure came to light as Hampson's stakeholders said they had not been properly consulted.

A Bolton investor, who does not want to be named, said Hampson's did not ask shareholders for their views before making its decision.

Directors rejected the workers' offer to buy the factory after just two days.

The investor said: "I have not received any information from Hampson's and have not been consulted about the workers' buy-out proposals. I have written to the chairman Ray Way to register my concerns and would urge other shareholders to do the same."

Bellhouse Hartwell's order book for the next 12 months is believed to be worth £12 million and if the factory closes it could cost the local economy £5.5 million a year.

Hampson Industries chief executive Kim Ward was unavailable for comment today.

A spokesman for the watchdog the Financial Services Authority said a company did not normally have to inform shareholders about a deal it did not want to accept.

But he added: "Shareholders do have rights and if they feel aggrieved they can take up issues with their company."

Workers dealt

final blow

DEVASTATED workers at Westhoughton aerospace firm Bellhouse Hartwell have received the news they feared would come -- the factory gates will shut next month.

They had offered to buy the site for £4.3 million in a bid to save 170 jobs.

But directors at parent company Hampson Industries have told them the work will now be moved to a sister company, which has just announced 75 planned redundancies.