The remaining handful of workers at the Remploy factory on Hartlepool's Oakesway Industrial Estate turned up for work at 7.45am.

Thirty-three years of manufacturing were due to end at the completion of the shift this lunchtime.

Some of the workers will remain at the plant until alternative employment is found for them. The number believed to be left at the factory is thought to be less than 20.

The Hartlepool factory has been earmarked for closure along with 27 other plants since late last year.

The official final date for closure of the site has been set for early May.

But most workers today left for the last time as officials at the GMB union continued the fight to make sure alternative sources of employers were found.

Phil Davies is the GMB national officer and the secretary of the Remploy consortium of trade unions.

He said: "The Remploy Trades Unions will continue to campaign to reopen these factories as public procurement starts to generate a steady stream of work.

"We will move to the courts and tribunals to seek justice for those unfairly selected for redundancy and for unfair dismissal."

As well as Hartlepool other factories due for closure included Aintree, Brixton, Halifax, Hillington, Hull, Leatherhead, Lydney, Mansfield, Plymouth, Southend, Stockton and York.

But a spokesman for Remploy said: "At the core of the modernisation programme is our determination to use our resources to help even more disabled people into work.

"This requires a transfer of resources from our loss-making factories to employment services which provide training, advice and support for disabled people going to work in mainstream employment."

The spokesman added: "Last year we found jobs for over 5,000 disabled people in mainstream employment who have the same range of disabilities as employees in our factories. This will quadruple to 20,000 per annum within the next five years."

Remploy Hartlepool was opened in 1975. It has been involved in general manufacturing contracting for several years.

Manufacturing stopped at the plant today but the Remploy spokesman added: "Those employees who are remaining with Remploy will continue to attend the site until alternative suitable premises are finalised in the area for employment services.

"No disabled person will be made compulsorily redundant and any disabled person who wishes to continue working can do so, on their current Remploy terms and conditions, but with another local employer.

"We presently have 135 vacancies with local employers within 12 miles of the factory. Remploy will have a recruitment office."

From the Hartlepool workforce, 58 employees have chosen early retirement or voluntary redundancy while 12 have chosen to say with Remploy and find a job with an alternative local employer.

The spokesman added: "We are satisfied that we have fully complied with our obligations, both collectively in our dealings with the trade unions and individually in respect of all affected employees."