Major financial backing is being sought by bosses at Guiseley pram firm Silver Cross in a bid to stop the company from going under.

Managing director Harry Moore and sales marketing director Sara Bird have spent the last few days in emergency meetings with potential backers.

Last Thursday the entire 100-strong workforce at the troubled 122-year-old factory was laid off and they are awaiting the outcome of a series of meetings in the hope their jobs will be saved.

A spokesman for the firm said last night: "A series of emergency meetings has been held into the refinancing of the company. I cannot go into details about potential backers, but I can say that the result will be known next Tuesday, when we will make an announcement."

Attempts to refinance the company follow a £4 million financial package which was set up last September in an attempt to re-launch the firm after months of fears about its future.

At that time the company received financial backing of £1.5 million from Venture Finance of West Sussex, and the rest came from other financial supporters.

In March, the firm announced that it was making 40 workers redundant, bringing its current work force down to 100.

Last September the firm had announced it was discarding its old-fashioned image for a racier style in a bid to woo a new generation of mums and tots.

A shop floor worker, who did not wish to be named, said he was upset at the news. "Workers on the shop floor tend to be forgotten when it comes to information as to what is happening at the firm. At present we are in limbo and we are waiting for a letter from the firm. Until we get this letter then we just don't know what to do," he said.

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