The Silentnight Group, one of Britain's leading bed manufacturers, could be moving out of Skipton, the town where it was formed more than 60 years ago.

The firm intends to close its Pocket Spring Bed Company manufacturing site on Snaygill Industrial Estate.

The site employees 39 people, but Silentnight has said it hopes to find most of the staff work elsewhere within the group.

The firm wants to transfer production of Pocket Spring Beds to its Rest Assured site in Batley. The move follows a review of the group's production strategy and the increased manufacturing capacity of the Batley site, which can now absorb the Skipton work.

Neal Mernock, Silentnight Group chief executive, said: "Following a review of each of our site's production capacities, it was clear that, because of the relatively small size of PSBC's output, its production could easily be absorbed at Batley with minimum disruption and no loss of quality. This proposal in no way reflects upon the performance of those who work at our Skipton site.

"In fact, should this proposal go ahead, we are hopeful that a large proportion of the workforce would be able to transfer to our operations in either Batley or Barnoldswick."

A period of consultation will now start with the Skipton staff.