NEARLY 80 jobs are at risk in the borough’s two Woolworths stores as the prospect of redundancy takes a grip on more workers across the St Helens borough.

Joint administrators of crisis-hit Woolworths Plc confirmed 63 people are employed at the Hardshaw Centre store and 16 in Earlestown.

Those jobs remain at risk unless a buyer can be found for the chain or the individual stores.

Deloitte, the administrators, say that if no offers for the Woolworths business are forthcoming, then it is possible that some stores may close before the end of December.

The perilous position of Woolies follows the demise of the Pimbletts’ College Street bakery (Star front page last week) which resulted in the loss of 60 jobs.

And the Star also understands that James Edwards Land Rover on Prescot Road, a franchise operation of Inchcape, will close on January 9, resulting in more job losses.

There are also growing fears of rises in unemployment, with advisers from St Helens CAB reporting more visits by workers who have lost their job or fear potential redundancy.

Yvonne Fovargue, chief executive of St Helens Citizens Advice Bureau, said: “We are seeing about three people a day about redundancies. There is a lot of concern out there.”

Up-to-date figures about the town’s unemployment rate are due to be publishedlater this week.

In October 3,946 people in St Helens were claiming job seekers allowance.

However, according to the Department for Work and Pensions, latest figures show there are more than 1,900 jobs available through Jobcentre Plus in St Helens, including in manufacturing, construction, distribution, the hospitality sector, business, finance and public administration.

At Jobcentre Plus, people can search a database of jobs at www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk and access skills training.

Jobcentre Plus also provides support also provides support in the event of major redundancies.