CV Furnishing in Maydown confirmed on Friday it is to close by the end of March.

Management at the firm told union officials and employees of the news at 1100 GMT and the workers were sent home.

We are seeing the devastation of the textiles industry and this is yet another example of the haemorrhaging of textile jobs Peter Booth ATGWU

It brings the total number of job losses in the textiles industry in County Londonderry in recent weeks to more than 600.

The Transport and General Workers' Union has said it is concerned at the haemorrhaging of jobs in the UK textiles industry.

Spokesman Peter Booth said: "The company's announcement today has confirmed our worst fears about the future of the Maydown factory.

"Some 180 job losses could result therefore the unions will be seeking urgent talks with the company to explore alternatives to closure.

"We are seeing the devastation of the textiles industry and this is yet another example of the haemorrhaging of textile jobs."

Investment

SDLP Leader Mark Durkan said textile workers should be retrained even before they lose their jobs.

"There needs to be active retraining mechanisms even targeted at workers in the existing textile sector so that people aren't just simply then caught looking around trying to identify other skills when a terrible announcement like this comes," he said.

"That way they are geared up for diversifying already at maybe finding alternative pathways into other sectors."

Mark Durkan: "There needs to be active retraining mechanisms for textile workers"

Derry Mayor Kathleen McCloskey called on the government o face up to its responsibilities and work to attract new jobs and investment to the area.

"I will be putting pressure on Invest NI to work with other relevant agencies to attract new jobs and investment to the region and to offer support, and retraining if necessary, to those affected by these recent job losses," she said.

Saville Row shirt makers in Castledawson confirmed on Tuesday it was laying off 65 of its workforce.

The firm currently employs 185 people making shirts for a number of upmarket retailers including Thomas Pink.

It is understood the retailer decided to transfer production of its casual shirts offshore and cut its order with Saville Row in half.

Profits pressure

Last week, Desmonds announced more than 300 jobs would go at its factories in the province.

Desmonds, which employs almost 2,000 people in the province, makes clothes for Marks and Spencer.

Clothes will no longer be made at its Springtown plant in Derry, with 170 factory workers and support staff losing their jobs.

Its Dungiven factory will also close with the loss of 133 operative and support staff jobs.

Both factories produce trousers and jeans.

A small number of jobs will also be lost at its factories in Irvinestown and at Newbuildings. Seventeen people will be kept on at Springtown as the firm is to maintain a cutting operation at the plant.

The company said in a statement that production at the two factories was no longer viable because of continuing pressures on profit margins.