A PLEA has been made for efforts to continue to ensure that jobs at Kendal carpet-maker Georgian Goodacre Ltd are saved.

At a Kendal Town Council meeting on Monday, Coun Jean Ewing said 160 jobs at the company were still under threat, and she urged administrators to take up the offer of a management buy-out.

She told the meeting: "South Lakeland District Council officers are working very closely with administrators to persuade them to take the management bid that is on the table to protect those jobs.

You can put a price on land but you can't put it on 160 jobs."

Coun Ewing urged the council to give its full backing to officers who were doing their best to make sure the skilled manufacturing jobs were preserved in the town.

"We don't want to be standing here in a month's time saying we deplore the loss of those jobs," she added.

Coun Joanna Clarke said it would be a real tragedy if the jobs were lost, and backed Coun Ewing's proposal that the council write to officers supporting their hard work to preserve the jobs.

The Kendal firm, based at Aynam Road, which employs 219 staff, went into administration in December after two companies within the same group went into administration the month before.

Fearing that the Kendal firm was heading the same way, suppliers started demanding cash on delivery for goods.

Last month the Gazette reported that a management buy-out bid had been

put forward to secure the firm's survival, which was being considered by administrators.