A WAR of words has broken out between a councillor and Blackburn's biggest inward investor over job losses at the firm.

Councillor Don Rishton has complained about the way curtain manufacturer Rectella has handled the loss of 53 people over the past three months.

He said some workers had left the Roman Road firm unhappy about the notice and pay they had been given.

But Rectella have reacted angrily to a press statement issued by Coun Rishton and asked him to retract it.

"It is not my intention to damage the company. My motivation is simply to find out if dismissed employees have received their full remuneration," said Coun Rishton.

Peter Bolton, a director of Rectella, said that the contracts of 32 people had been terminated following restructuring and a further 20 have recently been made redundant.

"We are very anxious at all times to treat our employees fairly and act in a professional manner and the comments made by Councillor Rishton are of very great concern to the company.

"If there are any employees with any concerns we would ask them to contact us immediately."

Mr Bolton said the firm had been hit by a downturn in sales and that costs had to be cut. He stressed the firm was now trading successfully.

The £8 million Rectella factory, which employs more than 400, opened last autumn when the firm centralised its factories at Atherton and Chorley on a new site in Blackburn.

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