THIRTY-EIGHT workers who face losing their jobs at a Bury-based textile factory will be offered alternative employment.

The staff at Milliken & Company in Wellington Street will be hit by the company's decision to close its industrial products division in August.

But the business is looking to fill more than 40 posts due to expansion of its sites at Middleton and Wigan.

The 38 members of the 120-strong workforce at Bury will be offered jobs, probably at the Middleton factory.

Jeremy Graham, Milliken's human resources director, said: "I have known and worked with many of these people for years. We hope that all people affected by this situation will accept another job at one of our nearby sites".

Malcolm Fallows, the company's director of manufacturing, said: "The key to our future business is investment in, and development of, new technologies that enhance our products".

The business was formerly known as Milliken Industrials.