Workers locked out as car firm folds

Monday 6th October 2008, 11:50AM BST.

Andy Brooks, Peter Fischer, Terry Dulson and Roy Cartwright outside the firm Staff at a Shropshire car parts firm turned up to work today to find the locks had been changed and a notice telling them they no longer had a job.Eleven workers at LSUK Lucas, a braking, electrical and fuel injection specialists, in Harlescott, Shrewsbury were left standing outside the offices when they arrived at 7.30am.

It is thought 600 workers nationwide have been affected by the closure.

A notice on the window of the building said due to “unforeseen and exceptional” circumstances the branch ceased to trade from today.

It told employees they would receive a letter in the next five days to advise them on their rights. It also gave a helpline number for more information.

Branch manager Peter Fischer said he believed the locks were changed on Saturday.

He said: “I took this branch on seven months ago. I had a suspicion on Saturday night, I had a phone call saying we could be locked out.”

Euro Car Parts(ECP) bought LSUK on Wednesday. A spokesman for the company said: “LSUK has gone into administration. Euro Car Parts recently bought LSUK but they have had no option but to put it back into administration again.”

Andrew Pemberton, of Sundorne, has worked with Lucas for five years. He said: “They opened as normal on Saturday morning and by Saturday night they changed the locks.”

View more: County Jobs news.