Hope for food workers

There are six Hibernia factory sites across England

Talks are under way to protect the future of two Teesside food factories.

Hibernia Foods, which makes Sara Lee cakes and Mr Brains faggots, went into administration in October.

KPMG was appointed to manage the holding company and six subsidiaries, which employ about 2,000 staff at six sites in the UK

The group employs 693 staff at two own-label product plants in Hartlepool and another 400 workers are employed at another own-label site in Stockton-on-Tees.

Last week, it was announced the Hartlepool site in Brenda Road had been sold to Kerry Foods which secured the jobs there.

'Right direction'

KPMG says it is now in talks over the Hartlepool Oakesway site and the Stockton site.

Spokesman Rayner Peett said: "We have entered exclusivity agreements with two separate parties to buy the remaining Hibernia sites.

"There is an exclusivity agreement with one company for the Hibernia sites at Bridlington and Stockton. A deal is scheduled to be completed in early January.

"There is a separate agreement with a separate company about the Oakesway site at Hartlepool. It is due to be completed by the end of December.

"There is still some work to do to ensure the sales are completed but we are pleased to be able to tell the work force this before Christmas. Obviously it is a good step in the right direction."