A YORK factory worker who thought she had been left out in the cold by a work share scheme has got her job back.

As reported in Monday's Evening Press, Acomb resident Carol Lyons thought she had lost her job at chocolate factory Terry's.

A group of 47 part-time workers had been made redundant at the plant, with 19 of them applying to join a job share scheme.

Because the 19 had to be paired off, one employee missed out.

The company chose Carol, despite her 14 years service at the Bishopthorpe Road factory.

But, as she explained, Terry's has now found her a space after a colleague opted out of the scheme.

She said: "I'm so pleased to be back there because I never wanted to leave in the first place.

"Thank you for telling the story. I was really upset but I feel much better now."

Meanwhile, another employee has criticised the terms of the job share scheme.

The woman, who has asked not to be named, claims it is not suited to staff with young children.

This, she says, is because the terms say staff members must cover if their partner leaves or goes sick.

She said: "If someone goes sick it could be for weeks or months.

"That leaves the other worker doing 39 hours a week indefinitely when some of us took the jobs as part-timers so we could work round our kids.

"I'm glad we are still in work, but Terry's said they are accommodating staff who want to stay.

"The arrangement isn't very accommodating if you've got kids to worry about.

Terry's head of corporate affairs Joanna Scott said she was unable to comment on individual cases.

But she said: "The manufacturing requirements are so that we have to produce the product at a particular time and in a particular way.

"Everyone entering the job share scheme was taken through all the details and were aware of the circumstances.

"It is on that basis this person who has chosen to take up the job share offer."

Updated: 08:18 Monday, March 11, 2002