A TROUBLED Northumberland factory was feared to have reached the end of the line – again – last night, after its equipment was put up for sale.

Machinery from the factory at Amble, which is closed having most recently been operated by Longbenton Foods, is currently being offered for sale on an auction website, alongside with the site itself.

The factory has previously failed under the ownership of Northumberland Foods and Cheviot Foods and local MP Sir Alan Beith last night called the online sale “another worrying development.” The current saga dates back to October, when it was announced that the frozen-potato factory was being bought by Longbenton Foods.

However, the factory was shut down at the beginning of December, after Begbies Traynor, the administrator which agreed the sale to Longbenton Foods, took the company to the high court.

After various legal wrangles, the factory was open for four days before Christmas until security guards employed by the administrator shut it down again.

Now the contents of the factory are being offered for sale by industrial auction company Sweeney Kincaid, which has confirmed it is acting as an agent to the administrator.

The auctioneer is offering 237 lots on its website with buyers given until February 23 to make their bids.

The site states that offers for the factory are invited, but that a sale could not be concluded before January 20 due to an existing contract.