FIFTEEN staff have lost their jobs after a Blackburn car dealership and petrol station ceased trading.

Directors of Devaspeed in Preston New Road, Feniscowles, took the decision "with deep regret" on Tuesday after failing to find the cash needed to keep the firm in business.

The garage and forecourt parts ceased trading immediately and Andrew Dick and Richard Traynor, partners of Preston-based Buchler, Phillips and Traynor, have been appointed as liquidators.

Arrangements are being made to sell off the company's assets and fuel giants Gulf, who mortgaged the premises, are expected to take possession of the site.

A liquidators' spokesman said there had been no viable alternative to making the company's 15 full and part-time staff redundant.

He added: "Devaspeed Ltd has ceased operating. The decision was taken with regret by the directors of the company but they could see that the company could not continue to trade in the short or long term without a capital injection."

"Funds could not be made available so, with deep regret, they had to take the appropriate decision."

Until recently, Devaspeed acted as a retailer for car firm Renault. Devaspeed director Russ Tabiner refused to comment.

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