There is concern throughout the town

The end of steel production at Corus' Stocksbridge plant will have a devastating effect on the town.

It nestles within the Upper Don Valley, 10 miles from Sheffield on the edge of the Pennines.

But while the area is surrounded by breathtaking moorland and reservoirs, the valley bottom is dominated by the steel industry - the reason for the town's existence.

Now local people fear for the area's future after Corus announced it was shedding 355 jobs at Stocksbridge - halving the workforce. A further 358 jobs are being lost at Rotherham.

The Stockbridge plant will only remain open for finishing work.

Stocksbridge Councillor Maureen Brelsford said: "I am appalled. It will have a devastating affect on this town.

"The town grew up around the steelworks. We will have to fight for the future of Stocksbridge."

I am absolutely horrified and frankly aghast at the announcement Sheffield Hillsborough MP Helen Jackson

The town dates back to the 18th Century when John Stocks, who was living on the site in 1716, built a bridge across the river for his cattle to graze the land on the other side.

The farm acquired the name Stocks Bridge in about 1802.

It was Samuel Fox, from Bradwell in Derbyshire, that founded the Stocksbridge Steel Works in 1851, based in Dentons Mill.

Prior to that, the area was mainly farmland with a few factories making wire and tin emerging in the 1840s.

Today, out of a population of 14,000, most families have a connection with the steelworks.

"While we do have people that commute to Sheffield, it's still essentially a steel town," added Mrs Brelsford.

Stocksbridge already has its share of social and economic problems - borne out by the government's decision to pump �2m of regeneration cash into the town.

Some workers heard the news through the media

Some of the money is helping to retrain residents with computer and high-tech skills through the Stocksbridge Training and Enterprise Partnership.

Partnership manager Chris Prescott said: "We have set our business centre up in the heart of the community where things like this happen.

"When you think the average steel workers wage is �25,000, we are looking at a potential loss of �10m from the local economy. This will have a huge knock-on effect."

Local Labour MP Helen Jackson said: "I am absolutely horrified and frankly aghast at the announcement.

Specialist supplier

"I don't think that people should accept that this is a sensible thing to do. "The plant has been successful and profitable and is almost unique in a niche production field."

Indeed, the Stocksbridge plant is a specialist supplier to aerospace and major supplier to the automotive industry.

Ms Jackson added: "To pick on Stocksbridge with its specialist niche market is absolutely incredible and it is not just a loss to the local area but to the country.

"The campaign against this starts now."

Eric McHale, who runs an electrical supply shop close to the main plant's entrance, said: "They say it's the end of the road for this town but this hasn't been a steel town for a long time.

"There used to be thousands of men working here but not any more.

"It's now a commuter town and after today's news it's just going to be more so."