Production at Vauxhall in Luton comes to an end

Vehicle accumulation astatine Vauxhall's Luton works has travel to an extremity aft 120 years of the institution being based successful the town.

Parent institution Stellantis announced the van plant's closure successful November arsenic it planned to determination its electrical van accumulation to different tract successful Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

A worker, who was excessively upset to beryllium named, said it was the "end of an era", arsenic the past van rolled disconnected the accumulation enactment astatine astir 12:40 GMT.

It was estimated much than 1,000 jobs had been enactment astatine hazard by the move.

Stellantis said it was investing £50m "to fortify the Ellesmere Port works arsenic its UK commercialized conveyance hub".

There would present beryllium a play to transportation machinery and "process knowledge" to Ellesmere Port, it said.

• Dad and daughter's sadness astatine extremity of Vauxhall era

"Our employees ever stay our priority, and we proceed to enactment responsibly towards our colleagues successful Luton," said a spokesperson.

However, Unite's wide caput Sharon Graham said: "Stellantis's betrayal of its Luton workforce, who person delivered each people asked of them, is simply a full disgrace."

Steve Brown said determination were mixed emotions arsenic the past van rolled disconnected the assembly line, calling it a "sad, bittersweet day", but helium said the ambiance was "excellent".

"I've done 34 years, but beingness goes on, we'll spell on. The radical and the institution - we've had immoderate bully times and it's been great."

Josh Scrutton said helium was going to miss his payslip the most, arsenic helium had worked for the institution for astir 2 years and said it was "good pay".

"It's the champion occupation I've had. Everyone was waiting for past van to travel out, everyone stayed," helium said.

Muhammad Basharat, who had worked astatine the mill for 24 years, said it was "very sad" and helium was present looking for enactment successful the gathering trade.

Vauxhall, which started manufacturing cars successful 1903, relocated to a recently built concern property successful Luton successful 1905.

In 2000, past owners General Motors announced the car mill successful Luton would adjacent and successful 2002 that works was shut, with astir 1,900 occupation losses.

In caller times, Luton Borough Council expressed an involvement successful buying the onshore utilized for the van-making factory, but said it had not been successful.