Hundreds of workers left jobless by the collapse of a Shropshire construction business today massed at its HQ to demand answers about what went wrong.

The protest at Wrekin Construction was heralded by a noisy convoy of company lorries, vans and cars which snaked along at 10mph, horns blaring all the way, from the M54 services at Junction 4 to the firm’s base in Lamledge Lane, Shifnal.

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Up to 100 workers joined the convoy which was warmly greeted by other drivers. More than 400 workers lost their jobs when Wrekin Construction went into administration last week with multi-million pound debts.

The employees met this morning for an information session on issues such as benefits and PAYE, but they seized the opportunity to demand answers from David Unwin, the firm’s owner.

Worker Matt Evans, 37, from Shrewsbury, said: “This company has been going for 49 years and he’s only been in control for two and it crashes.”

Father-of-four Simon Rathbone said he was “gutted” by the news.

“We are angry and we want answers,” said the 30-year-old, from Telford.

Mick Macken, 61, from Wellington, said: “I have dedicated 37 years of my life to them.”

A spokesman for administrators Ernst & Young said Wrekin Construction appeared to owe £3.5 million in VAT and PAYE while it was thought to be owed more than £2 million from Government contracts.

The spokesman said: “Over the last 12 months Wrekin Group has invested about £2 million in relation to land for redevelopment and the acquisition of two businesses – Toft Johnson Construction and Watson Dallas.

“At appointment, Wrekin Construction was the subject of five winding up petitions and about 40 County Court Judgments.”

“The level of overdue creditor balances is not currently available. At this time, no further information will be available until the administrators proposal is made to the group’s creditors in April.”

Mr Unwin could not be contacted today.

By Simon Hardy