SHOCKED Pocklington residents have vowed to rally round the 100 people who lost their jobs when the town's biggest employer went into administration.

Staff at Convergent Communi-cations, based at Blenheim House, York Road, Pocklington, were devastated when 79 workers lost their jobs on Thursday. A further 21 employees were given their cards on Friday night after Genesis Telecommuni-cations bought the company's customer contracts, but decided not to take on any of its workers.

Pocklington Chamber of Trade today sent its sympathy to the employees and their families.

Chamber secretary David Gill said: "It is quite devastating. The chamber sends its sympathies to everyone concerned.

"It's a dreadful thing. It isn't good for the town in general."

The Mayor of Pocklington, Councillor George McManus, said that the town must do its best to help and support those who had been made redundant.

He said: "We need to do everything we can to help those who have lost their jobs. It is always a shame when someone loses their job, but hopefully we can support people and help them get through it."

He said he was relieved that not all Convergent's employees had lost their jobs.

Northumberland-based Fone Logistics bought the company's field engineering and repairs division hours after Thursday's staff meeting, saving 54 jobs. At present Fone Logistics is running the business on Convergent's premises, but it is planning to move to a unit on Pocklington Industrial Estate as soon as possible.

"There is a degree of relief that the worst case scenario hasn't occurred. I am glad we are going to maintain a facility in Pocklington," said Coun McManus.

"Fortunately, the economy in Pocklington is quite buoyant so I think the town will get through this."

Town councillor Alex Petrie, said: "I have seen Convergent expand from a tiny acorn to the height of its time. It is very sad that it has come to this end."

He said some households had lost their entire income when the company crashed.

"There are people who went to Convergent straight out of school and met their partners there. It is very difficult for them," he said.

"It is bad enough when one member of the household loses their income suddenly, never mind two. IT jobs aren't that easy to come by in this area."

Convergent Systems, part of the Azurri group, wants it to be known that it is a completely different business to that of Convergent Communications. The rapidly-expanding Azurri group's Convergent Systems, which includes voice, data and mobile phone technology, is in no way affected by the financial difficulties of the Pocklington group.

Updated: 10:41 Monday, June 30, 2003