TELECOMMUNICATIONS workers at one of Warrington's largest employers are set to discover what an estimated £100 million takeover deal will mean to them.

Mobile 'phone giants Cellnet have acquired an 80 per cent stake in Sankey Street-based Martin Dawes Telecommunications with the prospect of new jobs on the horizon, it has been revealed.

A series of meetings are taking place today, Tuesday, at the Parr Hall, where present and future management are expected to field questions about the handover from staff.

The news is believed to have been broken to the 1,300 strong workforce - mostly based in Warrington - by E-mail yesterday, Monday.

Bosses believe the deal, which relates only to the telecommunications arm of Martin Dawes, is a promising development for the town.

Cellnet sales director Hugh Logan said plans to move part of the present Sankey Street operation to new purpose-built offices at Preston Brook would still go ahead.

He said : "There will be lots of opportunities in future to grow. The deal is good news for Warrington and the north west and underlines our commitment to develop Cellnet as a truly national and international business."

It is expected the Warrington firm will be run separately, maintaining current management and staff teams.

Martin Dawes managing director David Goldie believed strong relationships with the company's new owners made them the "natural choice" for the takeover and the changes would safeguard the company's industry status.

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