HYGRADE Foods, which has factories across north Wiltshire, said it has no plans for redundancies, despite a possible takeover by a Danish meat giant.

Hygrade Foods is a major supplier of sausage and cooked meat products to UK retailers and has sites in Chippenham, Corsham and Devizes.

Hygrade Foods is in negotiation to sell its meat operations to Danish Crown's UK subsidiary Tulip.

A worker at the Chippenham factory, who wished to remain anonymous, said the planned takeover was announced to staff three weeks ago.

He said they were told there would be no job losses at the company and it would retain its name. The man said some staff were unsettled by the announcement and concerned about what might happen six months down the line.

But Hygrade's group financial director Graham Melia said there was nothing to fear.

"In reality there will be very little change," he said. "There will be a change of ownership, but they (Danish Crown) intend to continue running the company as it is.

"There are no plans for redundancies at this stage, but if they can help the business grow and develop new customer relationships there could be the potential for more jobs."