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A GROUP of former Plaxton workers are set to swap Scarborough for the California sunshine.
Scores of employees at the famous coachbuilder were made redundant in July as a result of the firm's drive to cut costs in light of the recession.
However the company got back in touch to offer them a chance to put their knowledge to good use on the other side of the Atlantic.
Coachbuilders with the relevant skills were asked if they were interested in working for Alexander Dennis Ltd, Plaxton's mother company, at one of its North American manufacturing plants.
Six former employees were chosen and will set off on Saturday on fully paid flights for El Dorado, California, where they will be put up in a hotel for the duration of their estimated 10-week stay.
They are almost certain to be greeted by blistering sunshine – weather reports this week put the average daytime temperature at 34 degrees.
They will be situated a 45-minute drive away from California's state capital Sacramento, and are two hours away from San Francisco and landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge.
Danny Wedge, 23, is one of the former Plaxton employees that is making the trip. He said: "There's a job over there they haven't finished so they're getting six of us across to help out.
"It all just happened really quickly. I'd just signed on with an employment agency and two days later the letter dropped through the door.
"I'm still trying to get my head around it but I'm really looking forward to it. I've never worked away before so it's going to be a new thing for me."
Plaxton managing director Alan Atkinson said: "We heard they had a requirement for staff to finish a job, and rather than recruit locally, we said 'we've lost quite a few people - will you take some of our guys instead if they're interested?'
"They were the first people we thought about - we wanted to see if we could get them some temporary work. Obviously what went on was sad. We were happy to do it."
"It all just happened really quickly. I'd just signed on with an employment agency and two days later the letter dropped through the door.
"I'm still trying to get my head around it but I'm really looking forward to it. I've never worked away before so it's going to be a new thing for me."
Plaxton managing director Alan Atkinson said: "We heard they had a requirement for staff to finish a job, and rather than recruit locally, we said 'we've lost quite a few people - will you take some of our guys instead if they're interested?'
"They were the first people we thought about – we wanted to see if we could get them some temporary work. Obviously what went on was sad. We were happy to do it."
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Weather for Scarborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North east
