Rover 'to axe 8,500 jobs'

Union officials have been told that 8,500 jobs will be lost across the Rover group if Alchemy takes over, according to the BBC.

The corporation says it has documents earmarking 2,500 job losses from the Longbridge assembly line, 2,000 from Power Train, 2,000 at Gaydon, 1,500 at Swindon and 500 at Cowley.

Tony Woodley, Britain's chief motor industry negotiator and Transport and General Workers' Union leader, told BBC radio that he was talking to two major car manufacturers to find an alternative buyer for BMW's sell-off.

"We have made contact and both these companies are prepared, indeed are talking with their boards about the possibilities of doing something." he said. "I would prefer not to mention them...I wouldn't like to get people's hopes up here."