When Plessey faced its final days in Sunderland - remembering the giant factory

The end of an industrial era was looming in Sunderland almost 50 years ago this month.

The uncertain future of Plessey was in the news in 1977 and about 300 workers at the plant were about to leave their jobs in the first stage of the rundown.

It all changed with cuts in investment

Plessey was a British electronics, defence and telecommunications company.

But by the 1970s, they were sad times for the Sunderland factory which employed 2,000 people on Wearside. At its height there had been as many as 3,000.

Former workers have previously told the Echo that the end came when investment in the telecoms sector was cut in 1976 and the UK lost 15,000 jobs across the industry.

Workers put up a fight

However, campaigners were not giving up without a fight.

A top Wearside delegation was to meet Government officials in London over the fate of the workers.

The Industry Minister, Mr Alan Williams, was meeting Plessey executives. Proposals for redundancy terms and a planned rundown of the factory - which was due to close in June 1977 - were agreed between the unions and the company.

Over to you to tell us more

It was then considered by the Department of Employment and if approved, the first 300 workers would leave within a week.

It did hopefully mean that some would be kept on for a while but the end was in sight.

Many workers were unhappy with the plans and staged protests.

If you worked at Plessey, we want your memories of your time there.

The Sunderland Echo has many photos of the factory, the workers, the Plessey sports day.

We want to hear from the people who worked there.

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