Staff at a firm which makes personal organisers were told today: "Your jobs are safe."

Filofax boss Christopher Brace said the planned sale of Filofax by its American owners Day Runner was good news for the 60 employees at the Burgess Hill offices in Victoria Gardens.

Day Runner is in talks with two potential buyers after running into financial problems.

It has only owned Filofax for three years but its business interests in the USA have been badly hit by major supermarkets cutting back on stocks of personal organisers in favour of electronic equipment.

Filofax is one of the companies Day Runner has decided to sell, but UK managing director Mr Brace said he did not believe Sussex jobs were at risk.

He said: "I think if anything it will be good news for our staff because it will mean investment in the business by a new parent, unlike our current parent which is having financial difficulties."

Sixty employees work at the Burgess Hill offices handling sales and marketing.

Last year the company closed its factory in the town and a printing works in Littlehampton with the loss of about 130 jobs when it switched production of the organisers overseas on cost grounds.

Mr Brace believes the Filofax, which became a symbol of the Eighties yuppies, still has a place in the market despite the arrival of electronic organisers.

He said: "Things which are very simple seem to stay forever and we still sell one million organisers a year worldwide."

Mr Brace said he could not comment on reports that Filofax might be sold for £20 million, compared with the £51 million Day Runner paid three years ago.

He added: "The price is a matter for negotation but the business is a very profitable one with a very good purchasing and support structure."