Unions are urging consumers to lobby supermarkets to put pressure on Interbrew

Staff held a two day strike at the start of the month, to be followed by three more days of industrial action this week and four days next week.

Owner, Interbrew, plans to close the Strangeways brewery and move production elsewhere with the loss of 55 jobs.

Unions are also issuing leaflets to influence consumers at supermarkets.

'Belgian aristocrats'

The leaflets will target shoppers at Tescos, Sainsburys, Asda and Morrisons across the UK and urge customers to lobby local branches in the hope they will put pressure on Interbrew UK to keep the site open.

Part of the leaflet reads: "Since Interbrew came to the UK it has announced the closure of two breweries and contracted out its distribution.

"All this produces more profit for the Belgian aristocrats who have a controlling interest in Interbrew."

Interbrew is planning to keep its cask ale production in Manchester after the closure - moving it to Hydes Brewery, Moss Side - but the main production work will be moving to Lancashire, Scotland and Wales.

The brewery was acquired by Interbrew as part of its takeover of Whitbread's brewing operations in May 2000.

Boddingtons has been brewed in Manchester for the past 224 years.