Factory workers march in protest

The factories close this year

Hundreds of workers from a meat packing firm marched through Chippenham on Saturday in protest over redundancy settlements.

About 550 jobs are to go at Hygrade Foods, owned by Tulip Ltd, when the factory closes later this year.

On Friday workers from the company's Chard plants demonstrated in the Somerset town to gain support from the local council and from local MEPs.

Three hundred employees are to lose their jobs in the summer.

Announcing the closure of the factories in February, the company blamed the need to increase quality standards and reduce costs.

The business announced its intention to carry out a phased transfer of production to factories in Cornwall, Norfolk, Leicestershire and the West Midlands.

The factories at Kings Lynn, Tipton, Coalville and Bugle will be expanded as a result of the closures in Wiltshire and Somerset.