Jobs cut as HP sauce factory closes

American food giant Heinz has confirmed the closure of its UK HP Sauce factory with the loss of 120 jobs.

Unions had mounted a strong campaign aimed at keeping the plant in Birmingham open but have admitted defeat.

The factory will now close by next March and production of HP Sauce will transfer to a site in Holland.

Zeff Qurreshi, 53, who has worked at the factory for 29 years, said workers were "absolutely gutted" after being told by managers that the plant will definitely close.

He said workers now had no choice other than to accept the closure but he added: "We will try to get the best compensation for the workers and we will try to get as much bad publicity for Heinz as we can."

Mr Qurreshi launched an attack on the Government for not doing enough to support the workers' campaign.

"We have had absolutely no help whatsoever from the Government. They could have done much more to help keep this factory open."

Earlier this year workers staged a protest outside Parliament to seek support for their campaign to save the plant.

They held up Union flags and brought with them bottles of the sauce which have photographs of the Houses of Parliament as part of the logo.