NORTH and Mid Cheshire TEC, which has helped 50,000 people to train for work since it started 10 years ago, ceases to exist tomorrow, along with TECs throughout the country.

Five of the TEC's 92 staff have been made redundant and the rest are transferring to alternative employment with the new bodies which are taking over.

The work of the TEC will be taken on by the Learning and Skills Councils for Warrington and Cheshire and for Greater Merseyside, the Small Business Services and the Employment Services in both areas and by Cheshire and Warrington Connexions which provides a support service for young people.

Youth training will be handled by the Learning and Skills Councils and adult training and education will be dealt with by the Employment services.

Business support services will be provided by the Small Business Services.

The TEC's headquarters in Runcorn is up for sale. The revenue from it will be split between the successor bodies, and the office equipment is going to the LSC at Middlewich.

Steve Boyfield, chief executive, said he was very sorry to see the end of the TEC. He said he was particularly proud his staff for the way they had handled the past year.

Steve took up his post two years ago and is now looking for another job in the commercial sector. He was previously chief executive of T.J.Hughes and was involved with inner city redevelopment in Liverpool.