Twenty-seven of the 32 workers at Mitchell Dryers in Carlisle are to lose their jobs.

Administrators still hope to sell the stricken firm as a going concern but say that a lack of orders means redundancies are inevitable.

The firm, in Denton Holme, makes and supplies industrial dryers for the food, chemical, mineral and pharmaceutical industries.

It went into administration last week when Mike Kienlen, Daryl Warwick and Mark Ranson, insolvency practitioners at the Carlisle accountant Armstrong Watson, were appointed joint administrators.

Mr Kienlen said: "Although talks with parties interested in purchasing the business continue, and a number of potential future orders are being discussed with customers, the lack of current work in the factory means that we regrettably need to make these redundancies.

“We are retaining five members of the team at this stage to ensure that current orders placed are completed on schedule.”

He added: “We are grateful for the support of those customers who have retained the company's services in administration.”

Mitchell Dryers has been trading in Carlisle in 1859.

The administrators blamed a “historic pension deficit” for the firm's woes, compounded by a lack of orders.

Mr Kienlen said: "A drop in demand brought the firm’s directors to the decision that administrators needed to be called in.”

He invited potential buyers to contact Darcie Rae on 01228 690179.