A flood-hit Selby factory is to be closed for up to four months and hundreds of workers bussed over the Pennines every day to a sister plant.

But company chiefs at Hazlewood Foods in Barlby today reassured its 500-strong workforce that the sauce and pickle bottling factory would re-open and their jobs were safe.

The majority of employees are being transferred to a similar Hazlewood plant in Manchester where extra production lines are now being installed to offset the losses at Selby, which are expected to run into millions of pounds.

Some workers could be also be bussed to other Hazlewood factories in Hull and Worksop, with the company paying for travelling time.

The Barlby plant was under three feet of water at one point after the swollen River Ouse spilled over the top of flood defences.

Contractors are now on site carrying out a huge refurbishment programme and repairing damaged electrical equipment and wiring.

Hazlewood Foods is about to be taken over by Dublin-based food group Greencore, which is paying £258 million for the company.

The takeover triggered fears that the Barlby factory might not re-open because of the massive flood damage costs.

But operations director Patrick Woods told the Evening Press today that Barlby was one of the best-performing plants in the group. It was very profitable and the site would re-open as soon as the refurbishment work was completed.

He said a meeting had been organised at Selby Abbey Leisure Centre on Saturday when management would be available to answer any questions from employees between 10am and 4pm, with the main meeting starting at 11am.

Hazlewood chairman Peter Barr said that the Barlby factory would be out of full production for at least four months, but they were confident that insurance cover would meet costs of the flood damage and the plant's temporary closure.

Mr Woods said workers were adopting a "Dunkirk spirit" and were making the best of a bad job.