People in Sion Mills shocked at extent of redundancies

About 160 people are to be made redundant at a textiles firm in County Tyrone.

Employees at Herdman's linen-spinning mill in Sion Mills were told the news on Tuesday.

A spokesman said that financial losses in the past three years could not be sustained.

Almost 270 staff will continue to work at the factory.

The company has operated in Sion Mills since 1835.

The spokesman said the linen sector was affected by competition from "low-cost countries in the east".

Jimmy Quinn of the Transport and General Workers Union said the extent of the redundancies was not expected.

"This is the equivalent of something like the shipyard in Belfast shutting down for the people in Sion Mills and the surrounding area," he said.

"People are just totally in shock - they don't know what to think."

People are just totally in shock - they don't know what to think Jimmy Quinn Transport and General Workers Union

The textiles industry has been badly hit in Northern Ireland in recent years, with more than 600 job losses in the sector since the start of the year.

Desmonds announced in January more than 300 jobs would go at its factories at Springtown and Dungiven.

All 180 employees at CV Furnishing were laid off with the closure of its factory at Maydown, near Londonderry in March.

Saville Row shirt makers in Castledawson laid off 65 of its workforce in February.