Mr Blair gave no financial commitment on the area, says Ms Moon

The prime minister was also told of fears over a further 1,000 job losses at the aviation repair facility Dara, in the neighbouring Vale of Glamorgan constituency.

Bridgend MP Madeleine Moon led the visit at Westminster.

She said Mr Blair was "very sympathtic" and agreed to talks with First Minister Rhodri Morgan.

Ms Moon said: "It never hurts for the prime minister to know what is happening in your constituency."

She was accompanied by Ogmore MP Huw Irranca-Davies and Vale of Glamorgan MP John Smith at the meeting, called after hundreds of job losses in the Bridgend area.

More than 600 jobs are to go at Sony's two plants in Bridgend and Pencoed, while Bridgend's Wrigleys factory is also to close.

Meanwhile, receivers were called into the Bridgend-based furniture group Christie Tyler, which has plants across the UK.

Christie Tyler employs around 1,500 workers at its UK plants

Three firms in the group have so far been sold but it is known that more than 250 jobs have been lost at its Welsh factories.

The aviation repair site, Dara, is in Mr Smith's constituency.

Ms Moon said: "We pointed out to the prime minister that potentially we are also talking about another 1,000 jobs at Dara.

"So we were making a very clear point (about) Bridgend - and the two surrounding constituencies - we're all taking a major hit in manufacturing, in high-paid and skilled jobs. He was very sympathetic."

She said the meeting was able to tell Mr Blair of the need to "focus attention of the various government departments" on revitalising the area.

'Detailed discussions'

Ms Moon added: "We were able to say to him look this a major hit for Bridgend - in the past year we have lost 18% of our manufacturing base and we need to focus the attention of the DTI as well as the attention of the WDA in pulling in new investment in Bridgend."

She said new investment had to look for "a new future for Bridgend, moving away from the old manufacturing base that we've relied on for perhaps a little bit too long".

Ms Moon said the prime minister did not give a commitment on the financial needs of the area.

But she said he did agree to go into "detailed discussions" with First Minister Rhodri Morgan to "see where we can look at meeting the needs of the workers in the various factories that are affected by the closures we're facing".

The quarterly economic survey published by the South Wales Chambers of Commerce on Wednesday also shows many manufacturers are facing difficulties filling job vacancies.