Union leaders are cautiously optimistic the future of three yards at under-threat manufacturing firm Bifab can be secured.

A high-level meeting took place on Wednesday between management and the GMB and Unite unions at the offshore manufacturing firm.

Cash flow problems brought the company to the brink of administration in November last year.

The Scottish Government was forced to step in to prevent it going into administration.

BiFab has enough work to last until the end of March, but contracts are due to dry up afterwards.

Around 700 people are employed at BiFab's yards in Burntisland and Methil in Fife and Arnish in Lewis.

The union leaders were reassured that talks were under way to secure the future of the three sites.

Bob McGregor, of the Unite union, told STV News: "It was a fairly positive meeting, the company are committed, as are both trade unions, to secure the long-term future of all three yards.

"We're all working with the government to achieve that."

Alan Ritchie of the GMB, said work had been moved between the yards in order to keep them viable.

He said: "That has been positive, I think the main focus has got to be getting the work into those yards.

"Although we are moving the work about, we still have this threat come the end of March of the yards in Arnish and Fife.

"These three yards complement each other, that's the importance of BiFab, each yard has a different skill on its own.

"We are absolutely committed, as well as the company, to keeping the three yards."

He added: "The danger we've got here is that if these yards close, you'll never get them back open.

"That's why it's important they've got to be functioning yards."

BiFab declined to comment on the latest talks.