The closure of Ebbw Vale steelworks is a blow to the entire community, which has seen generations of families working at the plant.

Dean Robinson was one of 400 workers who set off from home early on Friday morning to complete his last shift.

Dai Davies: 'Like losing a family member'

Driving into the gates of the Corus site for 0700BST, Mr Robinson shook his head in quiet disbelief.

"It is a very sad day. I have been here 28 years and it is all coming to an end and very fast.

"They announced the closure last year, but I cannot believe it is now upon us."

His daughter Katie, washing up the breakfast dishes at home, said: "It is really upsetting; since I was little he has been working there and it was a future for us."

It will take us two years to clear the site ready for some form of regeneration.

Stuart Wilkie, plant manager

Some of the workers will be contracted over the next two years to work on cleaning up and decommissioning the plant.

More than 300 Ebbw Vale steelworkers have been found work at Corus plants elsewhere in Wales, England and abroad.

The last coil of steel was lifted out of the plant on Friday morning, watched in silence by the shift.

Dai Davies, of Ebbw Vale's workers' committee, said: "It is a sad day the families of the workers have had such close links for so many years, it is like losing another family member, in my case for 26 years.

Katie Robinson: 'Really sad day'

"Seeing the last coil leave feels like the end of a great era."

Plant manager Stuart Wilkie said: "Corus will employ workers at sites at Port Talbot, Llanwern in Newport and Llanelli, and at Ijmuiden in the Netherlands and Bergen in Norway.

"Unfortunately last year, Corus had to cut 2.2m tonnes of steel output and 900,000 of that was at Ebbw Vale. It will take us two years to clear the site ready for some form of regeneration."

Mr Wilkie added: "It is heart-breaking because we will lose a lot of colleagues whether we stay in Corus or move on and I wish everyone all the best."

Outside the plant, departing workers were resigned to the fact of looking for other work.

"I came here a few years ago thinking I had a job for life, but I don't," one worker said.

Another departing steelman said: "We have been waiting round for months for this to happen, so I am glad to be going now."