Workers' fears for floundering phone giant IMS worsened this week.

Staff from the troubled telecoms firm in Steeton, which is currently in administration, have been given conflicting reports on when they will be paid.

Administrators Arthur Andersen had assured workers that they should be paid their wages at the end of the month.

But on Wednesday Mark Dunstan, one of the 100 employees who were laid off last week, said he was told they would not receive their money on pay day.

He said: "I rang them on Wednesday and they said we would get paid but wouldn't say when.

"I asked them to put a timescale on it but they wouldn't. They just said that it would be in due course. It's money we're legally entitled to."

A spokesman for Andersen tried to calm growing fears among workers and told the Keighley News that staff would be paid today.

He said: "I don't know where the information came from that they wouldn't be paid, but they will be getting paid by BACS on Friday."

The conflicting messages, however, have done nothing to improve confidence in the ailing company.

Former employee Alan Clark expressed his anger at the treatment of staff and spoke of a possible walk out by the 91 who remain at the call centre.

He said: "It's bad enough that the managers lie to us, but when the administrators lie as well it's disgraceful. And if the people who are still working there don't get paid they have said that they will go on strike."

Mark Dunstan also expressed his concerns and the impact of the confusion. "People are getting very wound up," he said. "We have to keep a roof over our heads and food in the cupboard and we aren't being told anything. People have direct debits going out of the bank. The manager might accept a few days' wait if we got a cheque, but he won't accept 'in due course'."

The confusion has come amid revelations that Arthur Andersen attempted to gag IMS employees from talking to the press.

Another member of staff, who did not want to be identified, said: "Apparently there's a letter going out, not to talk to the press. I think it's disgusting. We all just feel we've been treated awfully."

The Keighley News has obtained a copy of a letter from Andersen's dated February 18. It is addressed to all employees and states: 'We should be grateful if you would not speak to any representative of the press since in these difficult times is important that the Administrators alone discuss the affairs of the Company in public as appropriate."