Managers at a south Wales furniture factory which was destroyed by fire just before New Year have said it is vital they find suitable premises within the next five weeks.

A total of 25 administrative staff, from Universal Furniture in Aberdare, have been relocated to a hotel in Hirwaun but 58 production workers remain at home on full pay.

Universal's managing director Mark Symes

The company has not produced any furniture since losing all of its stock worth �2.5m in the blaze on 29 December.

Distributors in the Far East have shipped in �3m worth of replacement stock, but the company needs to find a site to assemble and distribute it.

Managing director Mark Symes said: "The big issue for us is still operating premises.

"We need assembly and distribution premises rather than just pure warehousing and that's what we are finding difficult to be able to secure quickly."

Last week, management at the factory held a meeting with employees to reassure them about their jobs.

There was a round of applause at the meeting, when Mr Symes assured the workers that they would still have work and that they would be continue to paid.

The firm is unable to use its old site

Universal Furniture has been a major employer in Aberdare for more than 20 years, and makes furniture for major retailers including Allders and Harveys.

Two weeks of the January sales have already been lost and the company says it doubts any deliveries can be made until February at the earliest.

South Wales Police are continuing to investigate the cause of the blaze.

More than 40 firefighters tackled the fire at the factory warehouse on the Robertstown Industrial Estate.