A trade union says P&O Ferries is treating its sacked staff with "utter contempt" after some have still not had possessions returned.

A total 786 were summarily dismissed and replaced with cheaper labour three months ago.

Yet about 100 say they have still not had all their items back.

A spokesman for the Dover Shipping branch of the RMT said: "P&O are treating them with utter cotempt. It is a absolute disgrace that this has gone on for three months.

"People have lost items that can't be replaced. One woman has lost a picture of herself and her late husband.

"Others are missing items they were given when they started their seafaring careers 20, 30 or 40 years ago."

The union is demanding the company releases the footage from the bodycams security guards wore when they removed workers from company property in the mass jobs cull on March 17. It is hoped that might explain what happened to the items.

P&O Ferries chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite insisted reuniting former employees with items they had on ships when they were fired was a “top priority.”

In a letter to Huw Merriman, who chairs the Commons Transport Select Committee, he said: “I appreciate the frustration that a small number of our ex-seafarers are experiencing with regard to the return of their personal items.

"Rest assured that reuniting everyone with their possessions remains a top priority and we have a dedicated P&O Ferries team who are currently focused on this task.”

The letter, written on Tuesday, added: "Approximately 100 of our 786 ex-seafarers have written to us in relation to specific possessions they believe are missing."

He said the team tasked to deal with this ensured that priority was given to returning essential or sensitive items, such as as passports and seafarers' certificates, and these were sent back by registered post.

Items still in the possession of P&O Ferries are being “stored securely” in offices, he wrote.

He added that the company will “fairly compensate for all proven claims” if an item cannot be found or has been damaged.

P&O Ferries, whose headquarters is in Dover, caused an eruption of anger and criticism after the mass sackings.

This was shown, for example, through repeated protest marches involving the RMT, condemnation from the Government and calls to boycott the company.

The flank wall of the Dover RMT headquarters in Snargate Street, Dover, has a huge sign asking for this, which can be seen by any driver going down the A20 to Dover Eastern Docks where the ferries sail from.

P&O Ferries insisted its business was at risk of collapsing without its drastic action im March.

But it faced further setbacks in the aftermath when the Maritime and Coastguard Agency stopped company ships sailing after safety tests were fail.

Tests for all ships have now finally been passed and the company is now back in full service.