THE latest effort to help a factory's redundant workforce back into the jobs market was staged yesterday.

Twenty-five potential employers and job agencies were represented at the third jobs fair staged at the recently closed LG Philips Displays television tube factory on Belmont Industrial Estate, Durham City.

More than 200 of the 761 workforce has found new work or retraining opportunities, and others are considering their options, many having worked at the plant throughout its 33-year lifespan.

More than £1m has been made available to a task force set up to help find new work for the redundant Philips' staff, overseen by employment consultants RightCoutts.

Each worker has undergone a skills analysis and training to add new strings to their bows.

Among them was Barry Thompson, from Spennymoor, County Durham, a Philips employee for 32 years, who hopes to find work for the North-East Ambulance Service.

"I pushed to have a week's first aid training and I've now got to have a driving and theory test on the highway code.

"It's a change, but I'm only 53 and I felt I still have a few years useful work in me yet.

"A lot of the lads are in limbo at the moment, although there were one or two who were about ready for retirement when the closure was announced."

Later this month, the first grants will be awarded from an enterprise fund set up for ex-Philips workers who want to start their own businesses.