An Aldridge brass manufacturing firm is to shed almost two-thirds of its workforce – just days after staff went on strike over the threat of redundancies.

Bosses at Bolton Brass say 129 jobs are to go, blaming a drastic downturn in the UK contruction industry.

It is the latest crippling blow to employment in the village, coming just weeks after 230 people lost their jobs when freight firm Amtrak in Northgate Way went into administration.

Bolton Brass employs 190 staff at its Middlemore Lane base, with 147 of those working on the factory floor.

It is believed that 96 manufacturing jobs will go, with the rest to include clerical and managerial staff.

The company said it will take three to four months to carry out the redundancy exercise. On Tuesday, workers at the factory went on a two-day walkout over a pay dispute and the threat of redundancies. They were also protesting over news the final salary pension scheme had been axed.

Tom Keogh from union Unite said: “This is a real kick in the teeth.”

Richard Monckton, group managing director at Bolton Brass, said: “It is with great regret that we announce the proposed redundancies.

“We have seen a dramatic downturn in orders over recent months.”