A LEADING International company which promised 200 jobs on its arrival in Helsby has pulled out at the last minute.

K & N Filters Europe Limited, based in Warrington, was due to sign the lease for the Brand Rex building on the former BICC site in March, and production was due to start in May.

The US-owned company produces high performance air filters for combustion engines and holds some big name contracts such as Aston Martin and a yearly contract for the grand prix.

The firm planned to move its 80 strong workforce to Helsby in order to expand and promised 200 jobs over the next 10 years. But now the firm say that the move is off because of the state of the American economy. 'We definitely won't be coming to Helsby,' said company spokesman Mike Whitaker. 'It's nothing to do with the site or location.'

'It was basically the owners of the company in the states have changed their mind of how the UK set was going, we got there far quicker than they expected us to, they weren't ready.

'It could well be to do with the American economy, there is a downturn that side but its not reflecting this side of the pond.

'There was a lot of disappointment, a lot of people were really into the move. We were all getting a buzz off it, it's just part of being an international company. 'In some respects it hasn't all been lost. We had gone through the process and solved a lot of difficulties so we have come out of it with experience.

'It was a perfect site, we looked at others but we just kept coming back to Helsby because it was perfect, too good to be true, and it is a shame.'

The company planned to move to Helsby because of the expansion opportunities the site offered. It planned to up production to about one million units a year.

K & N even brought its current staff on a coach to view the site and show them what Helsby was like, as many had never heard of it. Councillors and residents are disappointed the site, which has now lain empty for 12 months, will still not be occupied.

Helsby Parish councillor Frank Thomas said: 'We thought we had got what we thought was an acceptable use of it. There was not a lot of vehicle movement, and they said there would be 200 new jobs.' He added: 'All in all it looked like very good news. 'It's very disappointing altogether.'