The fate of 750 workers at threatened Scarborough bus and coach firm Plaxtons was expected to be decided today.

Talks have been going on to try to save the plant - which employs 100 people from York - since early last month.

Earlier this week, they were reported to have run into difficulties with a senior Plaxtons source saying the "whole plant was in danger of collapsing".

It was originally announced that the entire plant would close, but the talks have been aimed at saving between 150 and 250 jobs.

This would be by turning Plaxtons into a "centre of excellence" for coach building.

A spokesman for the Transport & General Workers' Union, representing the Plaxtons staff, said he was unable to pre-empt any decision. But he said: "They are into the final stretch. I am hopeful there will be some form of announcement later this afternoon."

Meanwhile, another of the groups involved in the talks have defended their role.

Yorkshire Forward (YF), along with North Yorkshire County Council, were criticised by a senior Plaxtons source.

The source said that the talks were put at risk partly by a lack of interest from bodies such as YF.

But YF spokesman Keith Crane said such suggestions were "clearly untrue".

He said Yorkshire Forward had approved a £160,000 Rapid Response Fund application from Scarborough Borough Council, which will be used to help workers retrain or find new jobs.

Updated: 10:54 Friday, June 01, 2001