United Milk hopes to sell the plant as a going concern

The company at Westbury went into receivership earlier this week leaving some farmers owed thousands of pounds.

Talks are under way to save the giant milk processing plant which is part-funded and run by farmers.

Three co-operatives, Milk Link, Dairy Farmers of Britain and First Milk are trying to work out a rescue package.

More than 300 farmers attended Friday's meeting at Yeovilton.

BBC business correspondent Malcolm Frith said the farmers were angry.

Jobs at risk

"Some of them were almost in tears when I spoke to them.

"There were farmers who told me they had invested between �50,000 and �100,000 into the plant.

"There were many too who said they hadn't been paid for six weeks and are owed thousands of pounds with little prospect of getting that money."

Some feared they could be facing bankruptcy.

The National Farmers' Union is to hold a special meeting on Wednesday in Swindon.

About 100 jobs are thought to be at risk if the plant - which has an annual turnover of �100m - closes.

The �45m unit was built in 2001.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has been appointed as administrators and there are hopes that the plant can be sold as a going concern.