Christmas came early for workers at a County Durham cement plant due to close with the loss of 150 jobs.

Staff at Lafarge Cement's Blue Circle plant, who are to lose their jobs on 9 August, held an early festive party on Wednesday.

They sat down to a traditional turkey meal, complete with Christmas tree and decorations, in the canteen of the works in Eastgate, Weardale.

A Blue Circle spokesman said a worker suggested the party, to which company bosses replied, "why not".

It was purely for the guys there to have a Christmas dinner and was a private event

Blue Circle spokesman

It was announced in January that the Weardale site was to close with the eventual loss of 147 jobs.

A company spokesman said the early festive meal had management's full backing.

"There's a group of people there that have worked together more than 30 years.

"They are used to having social events together, and the Christmas dinner at the plant was something they looked forward to."

'Private event'

"A suggestion was made by a guy on the shop floor and bosses thought `why not'.

"The ladies in the canteen kindly agreed to lay it on.

"It was purely for the guys there to have a christmas dinner and was a private event."

Of the workforce, 46 people will be relocated at other Lafarge sites, 31 will stay on as part of a decommissioning team.

Only 19 workers have found other jobs.

The company said the plant, which opened in 1965, had to close following an investment programme at Lafarge cement works in the Midlands and Scotland.

'Exceptional job'

Blue Circle Cement UK managing director Richard Olsen said: "This decision is no reflection on the performance of the Weardale team.

"They have done an exceptional job and we thank them for the performance they have delivered over the years.

"However it is now more cost-effective for us to supply customers in Weardale's market from other sources."

Cement from the factory has been used for such building programmes as the Oasis holiday village in Cumbria, the Stadium of Light football ground in Sunderland and the Millennium bridge in Newcastle.