NEW places are being sought for work trainees after their training company went into voluntary liquidation.

Action Community College, in Waldridge Lane, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, made the move last Friday which means more than 20 people are on the dole.

Now County Durham Training and Enterprise Council (Tec) is trying to find training providers for more than 100 students, mainly youngsters, who were working towards NVQs.

Julian Chambers, the Tec's senior training manager, said: "What we are trying to do is rapidly move the trainees to alternative providers. We are hopeful they will be fixed up.''

The company - run by managing director Alan Maxwell, leader at Chester-le-Street Youth Centre, and director Brian Tebbutt - is thought to have been going about 15 years.

Most of the trainees were learning general care and child care, and some were doing business administration, warehousing and catering. Most are in their teens.

An employee, who asked not to be named, said: "The MD told us we were being made redundant. We were told to pack our bags and leave the building.

"The students were left out on a limb. Some of them were within a week of finishing. Unless they can get another training provider to take them on they will have lost two years' work."

No one could be contacted for comment at the company.