End of an era at Ryton

The last car has rolled off the production line at the huge Peugeot factory at Ryton in Coventry, which closes this week.

The last of the 2,300 workers losing their jobs will leave the site on Friday, marking the end of production by the French car giant.

PSA Peugeot Citroen, Europe's second largest motor manufacturer, dealt another hammer blow to Britain's motor manufacturing industry when it said in April that Ryton was to close. The shock announcement came exactly a year after 6,000 car workers were given their cards at Longbridge with the collapse of MG Rover.

Ryton's closure marks the end of another chapter in Britain's manufacturing heritage. Opened as an aircraft factory in 1940, it was converted by Rootes to build its Hillman motor empire, later being taken over by Chrysler, and then by Peugeot in 1978.

As the closure loomed, a union leader claimed that Peugeot's decision would be remembered as "infamy."

In an open letter to all ex Peugeot employees, the head of its branch of the Transport & General Workers' Union, Jim O'Boyle, said: "We all know of the sense of anger and betrayal many of you felt following the announcement of the closure."

He said the union had sought compensation from the company for the early closure of the plant adding "the company refused to accept this perfectly reasonable request."