EMERGENCY talks were held yesterday as politicians desperately tried to salvage what they could from the 120 job losses in the region this week.

Derek Foster MP for Bishop Auckland was locked in discussions with Minister for Work Nick Brown to try to safeguard the employment rights of the workforce at County Durham factory Vertex.

The closure of the kitchen worktops factory in Shildon on Wednesday has come as a bitter blow to the area which is still reeling from cuts at Black and Decker, Spennymoor, and the demise of Lafarge UK's cement works in Weardale.

Mr Foster said: "The priority is to safeguard the employment rights of the existing workforce and to see if it's possible to get what money they are owed back.

"I am in continuing discussions with a number of bodies to see what we can do.''

Councillor Bill Waters, lead cabinet member for regeneration for Sedgefield Borough Council, reinforced his plea for more investment to be made in County Durham - a call he had made when Black and Decker announced it was shedding 950 jobs last year.

He said: "We have lost 3,000 jobs in the borough in the last three years in manufacturing.

"We need some investment in this area. There has been a lot of investment in the Tyne-Tees area but County Durham seems to have been left out.

"We have the second biggest industrial estate in the North at Newton Aycliffe. We need to figure out how to get more investment or this situation is going to continue.''

A spokesperson for OneNorth-East confirmed that hopes of selling the factory as a going concern were still very much alive.

He said: "This has been absolutely devastating news for the employees at the firm and their families.

"We await news from the receivers on the prospect of selling the business as a going concern with the aim of retaining as many jobs as possible.

"If any prospective buyers are found we will work with them to see if any support can be provided.''

The factory was owned by Darlington Football Club boss George Reynolds before being taken over by Vertex last year.

Mr Reynolds said: "I am gutted about this and I feel bad. They are a good loyal workforce. They worked hard for me and I will give any of them a glowing reference. In fact I will create jobs for some of them at the football club."