WORKERS finished their final shift at Portakabin as the company shed 48 staff in a jobs cull at its York headquarters.

Those taking voluntary redundancy had a short day as workers were allowed to leave the factory, in New Lane, Huntington, yesterday morning.

Bosses were originally expected to axe 80 jobs, but the final figure was almost halved in an announcement last week.

Workers, who are mainly from the shop floor, had time to say goodbye to colleagues and collect belongings, before going home early.

Union bosses have blamed the job losses on the Government pulling out of a £19 million order to build housing for asylum seekers in Oxfordshire.

The axed workers include welders, process workers, joiners and labourers, as well as eight office staff.

Updated: 09:43 Tuesday, October 11, 2005