Mini plant closes for three days

The plant shut-down for four weeks at Christmas

Production at the Mini plant in Oxford has stopped for three days.

The 4,500 employees at the plant only started back at the factory on 5 January after an extended Christmas break of four weeks.

BMW, which owns and operates the factory, has said it is responding to economic conditions, which have seen a sharp decline in car sales.

All staff at the plant, including agency workers, will be paid their basic wages during the shutdown.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Mini sales in the UK fell by more than 32% in December compared to the same month in 2007 and the total UK car market was down by 11% to 2,131,795 in 2008 from its 2007 figure.