WORKERS were celebrating today after a U-turn by British Telecom bosses saved 160 jobs at a town centre telephone exchange.

Last October, the company announced that its operator assistance section in Jubilee Street, Blackburn, would close, with 70 emplyees and 90 agency staff losing their jobs.

Now, 12 months before the scheduled closure, BT have decided to keep the exchange open after scrapping plans to expand other centres to take over the work. Centre manager Julie Toplis said: "There is a huge buzz about the place all of a sudden.

"Blackburn has had some bad news on the jobs front recently and it is great to finally hear some good news.

"The staff are bubbling again and are re-focusing on the future. Everyone is so happy, they have all been walking around with Cheshire cat grins on their faces.

"The weight has been lifted and it is wonderful."

Staff believed that she was the bearer of more bad news when she called them together to make the announcement after 10 months of uncertainty and tension. Team manager Elaine Worden added: "We all thought she was going to say that it was going to close. But when she told us, there were so many tears of happiness. It is the best thing that could have happened."

Operator Kath Mayer said that the news was such a relief that she burst into tears.

Jean Throup, an operator who is due to retire next month, said: "It's wonderful news. Everyone was thinking that they would have to find new jobs and travel long distances. It was hard for all of the friends and colleagues who have been here for a long time."

The staff are now planning a celebration using money they had saved for a closing party.

The operator centre handles around 800,000 calls to operator 100, international operator 151 and 999 every month.

BT said the exchange was among a number of smaller centres across the country which were to close. Bosses promised that all staff would be offered re-training but would be forced to travel to other centres to work.

A spokesman for British Telecom said: "Continuing reviews have revealed that expansion of some other centres to take the Blackburn operations will not be possible.

"Therefore it has been decided to retain the operator services at Jubilee Street."

Picture: BT staff Kath Maher, Jean Throup, Elaine Worden, Julie Topus and Betty Cooke celebrate the jobs reprieve at Blackburn exchange.