FLOODS from a culvert under an Atherton factory are threatening 30 jobs and the future of the firm.

Management and staff arrived at Industrial Door Components Ltd on the Prestwich Industrial Estate in Bag Lane on Tuesday to find the premises awash with water and silt.

Thirty six machines had to be shut down and 22 staff sent home while clean-up operations got underway.

No-one will take responsibilty for the watercourse which damaged £40-£50,000 worth of stock.

But following a visit from Environmental Health officers, officials from Wigan Metro and the estate owners were to meet at the factory to thrash out the problem.

Second in command at the specialist door makers, Mr Michael Holden (pictured), said: "We are at our wits end.

"This is the second time in 13 months that this has happened. The water comes up through a manhole cover on the factory floor and when it subsides there's inches of silk and muck left behind.

"We have had to send the staff home, except eight volunteers who have stayed on to help with clearing up. We have had to contact our customers to tell them we can't meet our contracts. You can do that once but that's all.

"We started here in 1992 with five employees and have expanded now to 30 staff.

"We have just broken into the export market.

"We are on the verge of launching a new product and have a new £80,000 machine on order which will bring another 10 jobs, but we cannot install it until this problem is solved.

"If this happens again it will be the end of us, but no-one seems interested. Someone has to be responsible and get this matter sorted out before companies are forced to move.

"We have contacted Wigan Metro and the landlords, Paramount Construction (Property Company) Ltd, of Prestwich, but both seem to be putting the responsibility onto each other.

A Wigan Metro spokesman said: "Cllr Sue Loudon visited the firm on Tuesday. It is our understanding that the responsibility for keeping culverts clear lies with the owners of the land. In this case it is not the council. However we will do all in our power to try to help Mr Holden with the problem."

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