TWO of East Lancashire's best known business and training firms are in talks over a merger.

Nelson-based Northern Technologies Group and Blackburn's Training 2000 have been holding talks for several months to look at ways of combining the two.

Northern Technologies Group is made up of a number of organisations, including Pendle Training and Learndirect, and supplies business, support and training services to different sectors, from engineering to manufacturing.

Training 2000, established for more than 50 years, works with companies across the world, including Rolls-Royce plc and BAE Systems.

Steve Gray, Training 2000 chief executive, said: "A merger would bring together a strong portfolio of training and business support services, which will benefit both employers and learners."

Alan Firminger, chief executive of Northern Techologies, said: "A merger would create a powerful force for skills training and business support in Lancashire."