The Blackpool sports car manufacturer TVR is to make redundancies representing almost 20% of its workforce, it announced on Friday.

Most of the staff affected work in the bodyshop at the factory. Company spokesman Phil Jones said he hoped those who had been laid off would get their jobs back when more orders came in.

"Basically we have been overmanned in some departments and this decision is a commercial one," says Jones.

The company is expected to bring out two new models next year and this is thought to have affected orders for its existing range.