Eggs were thrown at some of the workers who crossed the picket line

The action, which began at 0600 GMT on Monday, was marked by egg-throwing and noisy demonstrations at the company's plant in Solihull, West Midlands.

Workers say they are under-paid compared with colleagues at fellow Ford-owned company Jaguar.

Land Rover says its final offer of a 6.5% pay increase over two years is "significantly" above the rate of inflation and industry settlements in the UK.

Factory 'at risk'

The firm said no vehicles were built in Solihull because of the 24-hour strike, but added it was business as usual at its site in Gaydon, Warwickshire, where managers and other white collar staff work.

Land Rover has warned the walkout could put the future of the Solihull plant at risk as it would be increasingly difficult to justify new investment.

Up to 1,000 vehicles a day are made at Land Rover's Solihull plant

Members of the Transport and General Workers' Union (T&G) and Amicus have rejected the two-year pay deal, complaining they earn up to �25 a week less than their colleagues at Jaguar.

The T&G said there was solid support for the industrial action and that further strikes could be held if the deadlock is not broken.

Noisy crowds assembled behind temporary wire fences at the Solihull factory for what was the first walkout at the vehicle maker since 1988.

Banners with the words "Save Manufacturing Workers" and "Not Just Pay" lined the entrances.

'Local youths'

Tim Parker from Amicus told BBC Midlands Today that he did not believe union members were responsible for throwing eggs at some of the workers who crossed the picket line.

"We don't believe that some of the people who were there are supporters of the dispute.

"There may well have been some local youths in there.

"Certainly we believe that all the trade union members are behaving themselves."

Union leaders are meeting on Tuesday to discuss their next move.