HALF of the 146 jobs at the Leyland and Birmingham Rubber Company (L&B) could be saved, it emerged this week.

It was anticipated that the majority of the workers would made redundant when the Wheelton Lane factory in Leyland closes at the end of January, rocking the community it had been in since 1862.

But Barry Montgomery, the General Municipal Boilermakers and Allied Trade Unions representative for L&B, revealed details of a meeting with management and South Ribble MP David Borrow last week, where he received assurances over workers' futures.

He said the company had sold the 35-acre site to a property developer called Bridgemere Estates, but that L&B were looking at moving parts of their business to a smaller site in either Leyland or Bamber Bridge -- maintaining a number of jobs.

The extrusion and moulding sections have been sold off to Nufox, of Middleton, Manchester, and Xeflex, of Dawber Lane, Chorley, respectively. Some workers had been offered jobs with those companies, Mr Montgomery said.

These measures amounted to 73 of the 146 employees being made redundant, although Mr Montgomery said there was still uncertainty for workers. He hoped this would be lessened when the GMB next meets bosses at L&B on December 5.

"At the meeting they told us L&B was undergoing a radical restructuring and the first stage of this was the transfer of sections to other companies," said Mr Montgomery, branch secretary of Preston GMB.

"You can imagine the uncertainty with Christmas coming."

Mr Borrow described the meeting with the firm's director, as "very useful".

"I will continue to keep in touch with the company as the situation develops," Mr Borrow said.

"I was encouraged by the assurances that they are doing everything they can to relocate the threatened staff. I have also had a useful meeting with the representatives of the trade unions at Leyland and Birmingham who have briefed me about their concerns."

The company produces a variety of rubber products at the site including inflatables, shock absorbing insoles, squash balls, hoses and aeroplane wing de-icers.