A timber firm in Skipton closes down today as a major new occupational health business prepares to relocate to the town.

Five workers at 25-year-old Aire Valley Timber on the Snaygill Industrial estate, say they were told on Monday that trading had officially ceased.

The firm's owners - Clay's of Addingham - say they want to redevelop the land to rent out as industrial units. The workers, who finish today, say they were not made aware of the situation until Monday.

Yardman Michael Knight said: "It's a bit of a shame because a couple of the guys here have been around since the firm started.

"I've been here for five years and I was a bit shocked when I heard they have decided they want to shut us down. We are honouring orders that have already been made.

"On Monday they told us that we would be getting three months notice pay. There are four full-time workers here and a part-time accountant. I am pretty hopeful there will be something else for me in the pipeline."

Company Director Ian Clay said: "We are going into industrial units. Nothing financial has gone wrong. We have just made a commercial decision to re-develop the site."

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