Up to 50 blind and partially-sighted workers at a Black Country light engineering firm downed tools for the last time on Friday.

Beacon Industries, which made packaging products, was closed because of a downturn in business over the last three years.

The closure of the Sedgley-based company comes despite fundraising efforts that have brought in more than �100,000 in the last six months.

The charity that owns the company, the Beacon Centre for the Blind, has rejected the rescue packages put forward as financially unacceptable.

I feel sorry for some of my colleagues who will never work again Sukjhinder Singh union representative

An ISTC union representative for Beacon Industries, Sukjhinder Singh, said the closure will mean the end of a working life for some staff.

"I'm very disappointed," he said.

"I feel sorry for some of my colleagues who will never work again.

"They've worked since they left school at this place... some of them have been here 37 years.

"It's going to be hard when they're 58 - they will not work again."

The Beacon Centre for the Blind, which is based in Wolverhampton, will remain open.