As many as 350 Kent workers WILL lose their jobs after Thamesteel went into administration, it has been confirmed.

Administrators called in by the Sheerness metalworks said most of the workforce will be made redundant.

Accountancy firm Mazars, which was appointed joint administrator of Thamesteel on Wednesday, said 50 jobs are to be retained while a buyer is sought for the Brielle Way firm.

Rod Weston, from Mazars, said: "Production at Thamesteel's Sheerness plant ended several weeks ago and the company voluntarily entered administration.

"The administrators, unfortunately, had to inform the workforce that a large number of redundancies need to be made.

"However 50 jobs are being kept so as to maintain the plant in full working order while the administrators work hard to try and find a buyer for the business."

Staff were told on Tuesday they would not be paid and it has since emerged they will not be receiving their January wages.

However, staff being made redundant are entitled to make a cash claim from the government. The Redundancy Payments Office will often pay the arrears of wages, holiday pay, statutory pay in lieu of notice and statutory redundancy.

Thamesteel administrators are sending out claim forms to workers and will help staff complete them along with Job Centre and union officials.

Cllr Ken Pugh, who represents Sheerness at Kent County Council, yesterday called for a task force to be set up to help affected workers - like when drugs giant Pfizer pulled out of Sandwich last year and cut 2,400 jobs.

Meanwhile, Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson has written to Business Secretary Vince Cable pressing for help.