Jaguar factory halts production

Workers at a factory which builds Jaguar cars started two weeks of non-production today in another sign of the impact the economic downturn is having on British industry.

Jaguar Land Rover announced last week that work at the plant in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, would be halted for a fortnight.

The factory, which employs 2,000 workers, assembles Jaguar XF, XJ and XK models and only returned to production last week after an extended Christmas break.

The firm last week also announced 450 job cuts because of the slump in car sales.

A spokesman said workers will be preparing the factory for new models as well as taking part in training.