MORE high-level talks will take place next week in a desperate bid to save troubled Port Glasgow shipyard Ferguson’s.

A task force, formed by politicians, union officials and business chiefs after the company went into administration last Friday, is set to meet again next Monday.

The urgent moves come after Scottish finance minister John Swinney chaired a ‘positive’ first meeting of the group two days ago.

Mr Swinney, pictured right, says there are a number of interested parties keen on taking over the Newark yard and there has been an air of optimism about its future since Monday’s summit.

But local people, including senior Inverclyde politicians, are still struggling to get over the shock that the company is teetering on the brink and that 70 jobs have been lost.

Inverclyde MP Iain McKenzie was out of the country when the announcement was made but says he had been keeping up to date with developments until he arrived home yesterday.

Mr McKenzie said: “I am in regular contact with Duncan McNeil MSP and Stephen McCabe in his position as leader of Inverclyde Council. I have meetings planned with all involved to bring me up to speed on developments and any progress which has been made so far.” Councillor and Port resident Jim MacLeod, who is the local SNP group’s deputy leader, was shocked and saddened by the yard’s closure.

He said: “It is a tragedy that Ferguson’s has closed its gates with the loss of 70 jobs and the effect this will have on their families. It is hard to imagine Port Glasgow without Ferguson’s.

“But with the task force that has been quickly formed between the Scottish Government, Inverclyde Council and the trade unions we must all hope for the best that something can be done to get the yard reopened and the workers jobs saved.

“These jobs are highly skilled and many of the loyal employees have worked at the yard for many years.

“I was unhappy to learn of the manner in which the closure was announced. To turn up for work so early in the morning and be told you have lost your job was quite a horrid way to find out you were being made unemployed.

“We must all hope that the task force can find a way forward for the workers’ jobs, the yard and for the sake of the local economy.”