A STOURPORT boat builders has gone into administration resulting in the loss of 14 jobs. Administrators from KPMG in Birmingham were called into Severn Valley Boat Centre last Friday.

The company makes narrow boats from a yard in Stourport and has a showroom in Hartlebury, selling fibre glass boats and shipping sundries.

Allan Graham, joint administrator from KPMG in Birmingham, said: "Severn Valley Boat Centre ran into difficulties as a result of slowing sales.

"The purchase of a narrow boat is a significant outlay and in recent weeks a number of orders have been cancelled causing the business to suffer cashflow difficulties."

Mr Graham added: "It is with regret that we have had to make all employees redundant, but unfortunately there were insufficient funds to continue trading the business, while we seek a buyer."

A number of boats were in construction and the administrators said they would be contacting customers early next week to make appropriate arrangements.

The business also operated the leasehold of 50 moorings and Mr Graham said he was aware of the "uncertainty" this could cause to boat owners using the moorings.

He explained: "The situation will remain unchanged for them for the time being, and we will be hoping to offer certainty around the situation next week, once we have had conversations with the freehold owner."