Workers who lost their jobs from Bradford firm DiamondSeal have been thrown a lifeline by the boss of a competitor.

John Valente, joint managing director of Coral, manufacturer of windows, doors and conservatories, is looking to take on workers from DiamondSeal as his own company expands.

Mr Valente, who runs the Buttershaw-based business with Stuart Price, currently employs 100 staff at Coral Mills off Halifax Road - the firm's headquarters - and 15 at its site in Wakefield.

Mr Valente said today: "I want to recruit experienced staff to help grow the business further and we have been approached by six or seven DiamondSeal workers who are looking to join us. I know of other staff from the firm who have been offered jobs in other glass companies in the city."

Mr Valente said his firm had recently acquired a second unit next to the one he took on a few years ago in Wakefield. This gives the company, which recently rebranded itself, room to expand its manufacturing base as sales grow.

"DiamondSeal has a lot of experienced staff and we would be interested in talking to them," he added.

DiamondSeal called in a team of administrative receivers from PricewaterhouseCoopers in Leeds last Thursday and they immediately made 70 of the firm's manufacturing staff redundant.

The firm, which has suffered financial difficulties for three years, has debts of about £1 million but is believed to be in talks with Sash Products, of Grimethorpe, Barnsley, about taking over the manufacture of their windows, doors and conservatories.

The deal is expected to involve Sash Products taking up to half of the DiamondSeal workforce.

The deal, which has yet to be signed, is also expected to allow DiamondSeal staff to carry out installation, sales, marketing and administration tasks from the company's headquarters in Gaisby Lane, off Canal Road, in Bolton Woods.

Nobody was available to comment today from Sash Products.

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