WORKERS at Custom Transformers have been told their jobs are safe for the moment.

The Malmesbury company learned this week that two of its customers want to keep a UK supplier, which means no redundancies among the 18 staff at the Bristol Road plant.

Sales and manufacturing director Kevin Baldwin said: "We are very, very relieved.

He explained they had enough work for the next couple of months and could see orders coming in. But he added: "We are reviewing the situation on a monthly basis."

Workers at the firm, which has a £1.2 million turnover, had been warned that jobs could go and the site could close because of the rapid growth of cheap imports from countries like China.

But Mr Baldwin said that some customers wanted their suppliers to be closer to home.

However he stressed there would have to be changes and there would be internal restructuring.

The site would be closing, possibly within the next six or seven years. "We will be moving off this site because it is not suitable for us any more. It is a big building with a lot of different levels and we want to improve our efficiency."

The news came after a series of consultations with staff who were made aware of the tough trading conditions.

Technical director Jon Pike said: "Some of the staff have been with us for over 25 years and we felt we had a duty to keep them informed as much as we could. They have been pretty loyal and they understand the situation."

Local people had feared there would be another round of redundancies, following in the wake of the latest job 40 losses at the Dyson call centre and the closure of Ranalah Gates.

Custom Transformers is one of the town's major employers and has been based at the converted stable block and coach house since 1972.