Jobs at a Brighton manufacturing firm have been saved after new owners for the business were found.

A deal to rescue Stapro, a Moulsecoomb-based cleaning products manufacturer, fell through last month and the jobs of the 11 staff were put in jeopardy.

Plans to sell off assets and close down the plant were being drawn up before a company from Kent rode to the rescue.

Mike James, managing director of Bio-Productions based in Hawkhurst, had previously looked at Stapro with a view to combining it with his own firm. But he had backed off after disagreements with administrators.

A new buyer was then found for the firm. But if that deal had gone ahead, it would have resulted in the break-up of Stapro.

Its order book and customer list would have travelled to the Midlands with staff joining the unemployment register.

That deal fell through at the eleventh hour.

Things were looking bleak for Stapro until Mr James came back into the frame.

He said: "Our company and Stapro have similar customer bases. We both manufacture specialist products for the janitorial supplies market.

"At Bio-Productions we take a green approach to cleaning and our products are environmentally safe and user-friendly and Stapro makes more traditional products.

"The two businesses will fit together well.

"It is true, we were very interested in taking on Stapro before but couldn't agree on a value. As far as we were concerned, the administrators were asking an unrealistic price.

"Then we heard the administrators were still looking for a buyer after another deal fell through.

"It was surprising how quickly things started to move. It has been a very traumatic few weeks but now we have completed the deal.

"Stapro has a bright future. It will remain at its premises in Brighton, it will keep its name and the jobs are safe."