HUNDREDS of North-East workers are facing redundancy following the collapse of Cumbrian Seafoods.

The company went into administration in December and its customer contracts and equipment were bought by rival Young's.

Pete Ward, Chief Operating Officer of Young’s said today that work from the former Cumbrian Seafoods sits in Seaham and Whitehaven, Cumbria, is to be transferred to Young's existing facilities.

"This has been identified as the most sustainable option for the long-term," he said. "Factors considered as part of the consultation process, included cost, financial sustainability, quality and technical standards, and manufacturing capabilities of the sites."

The transfer of work will lead to the closure of the sites at Seaham and Whitehaven, with the loss of up to 281 jobs in Seaham and 99 in Whitehaven in the next month.

Mr Ward said: “We’d like to stress that this is not a decision that has been taken lightly and does not, in any way, reflect on the committed and experienced teams at these sites. "They have continued to work hard during this period and are a credit to the whole workforce.

"Our priority is to continue to fulfil customer contracts, alongside ensuring that the employees affected by this announcement get the support they need by working closely with them, local agencies and other key stakeholders.”