WORKERS at an ailing regional airport threatened with closure were hit with another blow yesterday after shareholders rejected an offer to buy it. 

Efforts have been under way since March to find a buyer for the airport to save up to 150 mainly part-time jobs at Manston, which has suffered losses of £10,000 a day.

A formal bid to buy Manston airport in Kent was put forward by an unnamed US firm on Sunday.

But Manston airport said the proposal had been rejected for “a number of reasons.”

It said: “The basis of this proposal had already been put to the shareholders verbally on Friday and had been rejected.

“We have clearly demonstrated our willingness to consider credible and viable offers and have engaged with a range of interested parties over the last couple of months which unfortunately have not come to fruition.”

The offer’s rejection is another blow to threatened employees at Manston after a previous bid for the airport was withdrawn last month.

Manston airport has said it would “continue to consider all credible and viable offers.”

Scottish businesswoman Ann Gloag, who co-founded the Stagecoach Group, bought Manston airport for £1 last year.

She drafted in a team of experts to help revive its fortunes and various options were explored.

These included holding discussions with low-cost airline Ryanair about possibly bringing in new routes to Manston.

But the plans collapsed late last year when Ryanair pulled out after warning that its profits were taking a hit because of low fares.