EFFORTS to save the jobs of more than 200 Burnley workers at engineering company Viktor Achter have failed, it was admitted today.

Staff at the firm are now desperately trying to find new jobs, as the Rossendale Road based company is due to be wound up by the end of the year.

The loss of the firm was today described as a 'major blow' to the town and the worst time of year for people to lose their jobs.Problems at Viktor Achter -- first announced in August -- have been blamed on competition from abroad, where production costs are lower.

The firm has been trying to find a way to avoid the redundancies for the last three months, but efforts have proved fruitless and the firm has announced all the staff are losing their jobs.

Former Mayor and leader of the Liberal Democrats Gordon Birtwistle said: "This is a major blow to manufacturing and with Christmas coming up a bad time to be losing your job. This just another example of high paid and high skilled jobs being lost to the town."

The firm, based at Billington Road Industrial Estate, makes cloth interiors for cars and is part of American firm Milliken and Company.

In April, 35 workers lost their jobs due to a downturn in demand for woven textiles.

Now the company, in Burnley since 1988, is making 220 people redundant.

Director of manufacturing Geoff Farley said: "The reality is that most of our customers are based overseas and are buying cheaper foreign imports.

"Even with the extensive efforts of the employees to sustain the business there are continuous pressures to make our products at lower cost."

Consultants from Burnley firm Vedas have been visiting the firm, putting up available job vacancies on site and offering advice and guidance on finding new employment.

Mark Corrigan of Vedas said: "It is unfortunate for the individuals involved and the town of Burnley that such a large employer is closing.

"Vedas is working with these individuals, providing support and guidance to help them decide which direction to take their career.

"We are also helping them to see this as an opportunity to transfer existing skills and gain new skills to take to a new employer, as well as assisting with individual job searches."

Diane Spooner, human resources co-ordinator at Viktor Achter, added: "We care about our staff and the well being of the people and economy of Burnley and wanted to give something back by supporting community based projects. However because of the redundancies we chose Vedas as one of the agencies to find new employment for our staff. We understand the importance of working together and with our internal knowledge of our employees' skills and capabilities and with Vedas's recruitment experience we will together be able to find new jobs for our staff."

Manufacturing, technical and skills union Amicus represents some company members but there is no union recognition at Viktor Achter.

Jack Brassington from the union said the firm was in the process of being finally wound up.