WORKERS at a closure-threatened Cwmbran call centre have been given hope after a rival company made a formal offer that could save 190 jobs. At the time of going to press bosses at call centre dial were due to accept an offer from a rival firm.

dial faced liquidation unless a buy-out offer was made and many of the call centre's staff had agreed to work without pay after the company said it couldn't afford to pay wages for January.

Now dial boss Lionel Philips has said: "We have received a formal offer from YES Loans which is now subject to detailed negotiations which we hope to conclude later today.

"This agreement would protect the jobs at Cwmbran and guarantee payment for all the creditors."

The offer has come from rival firm Yes Loans Ltd, who are also based at the Llantarnam Park site.

Yes, which employs 110 staff at the Cwmbran site, said it would build and add to the current workforce and acquire new business, with 150 jobs outsourced to India returning to the Cwmbran site.

Melfyn Roberts, managing director of Yes, said the recovery of Premiumstar Ltd, which trades as dial, and the expansion plans would be funded without calling on public funds.

He said: "We believe this is a highly attractive offer, and look forward to Premiumstar's swift response.

A total of 300 people work at the site, 190 at dial and 110 at Yes. dial, established in March 2004, is Wales' only independent contact centre, and has an annual turnover of £5 million.

It handles calls for British Gas, Carphone Warehouse and the Basic Skills Agency.

In March last year it won the contract to take calls for Manchester United's broadband Internet business, and in August won the contract to take calls for the Welsh Injury Network.