In its heyday W&J Whitehead was a massive employer and one of the biggest worsted spinners and wool combers in the country.

But that was more than 40 years ago, when 1,200 people helped the Laisterdyke mill prepare materials for export around the world.

The business's dramatic fall this year, which ended with the final workers being made redundant yesterday, has left 600 people looking for work.

Bradford North MP Terry Rooney is now in urgent talks with the Transport & General Workers Union (TGWU) to decide on how to best help those former employees back into employment.

Nick Halton, regional industrial organiser with the TGWU, acknowledged the task would not be easy.

He said: "For the younger ones we'll be looking at putting on re-training programmes with help from the local authority and Government.

"For the older workers it's not so straightforward - we'll have to look at other ideas."

Founded in 1858 by brothers William and Joseph Whitehead, the business announced it was in serious trouble in July.

London receiver Tenon Recovery was called in to manage the firm, and for a while hoped to sell it as a going concern. But with the collapse of those talks the mill's last chance of survival disappeared.

Tenon Recovery director Simon Thomas said: "Since we unfortunately failed to find someone to buy the business as a going concern we have been finishing the spinning of yarn and other raw material.

"Now we'll be keeping just a skeleton staff to deal with debt collection and selling the remaining, finished stock."

W&J Whitehead blamed its difficulties on the global economic downturn, compounded by the knock-on effects of the foot and mouth epidemic.

Now only two other wool combing operations remain in the UK - SMC Textiles and Richmond Combing, both in Bradford.

Philip Brannan is a director of Richmond Combing, which started up in Lister Hills 90 years ago. He said: "We have all been suffering because of cheap imports, and then from the foot and mouth epidemic.

"Things had actually looked like they were picking up at the beginning of September, but then the US attacks happened, and orders have just dried up.

"We normally employ about 25 people but have had to lay off half of those for the moment as we work at a reduced level and just wait for times to get better."

Despite the bleak outlook, Mr Brannan acknowledged that Richmond had been spared the worst of the industry downturn because it specialised in mohair.

SMC, which employs 28 staff in Bowling and was taken over by the family-run Haworth Scouring Co 15 months ago, is actually reporting an increase in trade.

Chairman Brian Whitaker said: "It's sad to say but we are actually picking up business from places like Whitehead's which are closing. But the industry's been in trouble since last December, due to the strength of the pound and the low cost of imports.

"I think the remaining mills will survive, though. We have come through lean periods before and our intention is to come through this one."