BOLTON has been hit by a double job blow with the announcement that up to 350 people are facing redundancy at two firms.

Both Bernstein Group Plc at Westhoughton and Ingersoll Rand at Hindley Green said last night the jobs are being axed because of a restructuring of their operations.

A total of 95 men and women will be made redundant at furniture manufacturers Bernstein, based on the Wingates Industrial Estate. They will leave the company by the end of October.

Ingersoll Rand, situated on Swan Lane, is also closing its manufacturing facility, with the loss of up to 250 jobs by 2003 -- at the latest.

Staff at Bernstein have had a depressing year, with nearly 100 people being made redundant in January.

The company moved to the site in 1989 and expanded from a staff of 150 workers to more than 1,000.

Ingersoll Rand blamed the redundancies on "increasing competitive pressures".

It will stop production of compressors at Hindley Green and work will transfer to the Czech Republic.

Ric Stolzenberg, vice-president of global operations, said: "The company wishes to place on record its appreciation of the efforts by the workforce over the years that has rightly earned the Hindley Green plant a reputation for quality, reliability and customer satisfaction."

The company will maintain its manufacturing facility at the Tool and Hoist Facility at Hindley Green, as well as its sales and marketing departments, some engineering activity, parts distribution and after sales support.

Its Global Business Services operation at Horwich will continue as normal.

Ingersoll Rand said it hoped new jobs could be created in the future at the distribution facility at Hindley Green.

Business is on the up across the North-west, according to new figures released by one of the region's top recruitment firms.

Tempo Recruitment report that they found jobs for 538 people over the last three months compared to the early part of 2001.

"That figure is significantly greater than the previous two quarters when the area was battling against the effects of the foot and mouth crisis," said Lorraine Dickinson, operations manager at Tempo Recruitment, which has offices in Bradshawgate, Bolton.

"There seems to be a renewed confidence within the business community which is most encouraging."