WORKERS have been told to quit a doomed factory after bosses suspected sabotage.

About 30 employees at the high tech Plasmon site, Blackburn, were supposed to be working their last few days there this week before it closes and work is switched to a sister factory near Cambridge.

But on Monday staff were told to leave immediately because it was suspected some of the machinery to be moved to the South had been tampered with.

An investigation into the alleged tampering - which involves indelible ink labelling being removed - is continuing.

Chris Harris, managing director of Plasmon, today said the tampering was being treated very seriously and that police may be called in.

"We have hard evidence that the preparations for the removal of the equipment there had been tampered with.

"I haven't got a clue who has done this or which site they are from but in the interests of the Blackburn staff who are not moving to our other site I thought it would be sensible to pull them out of there and defuse the situation.

"It was in the best interests of the staff there to prevent them being accused if any other incidents had occurred this week. They were only asked to leave 24 hours earlier than was planned and will be paid as normal." The tampering is connected with labelling of boxes and equipment. Mr Harris said the tampering could have led to physical damage being caused to employees if machinery was installed or assembled wrongly because of incorrect labelling.

Paul Hoggarth, of the GMB union which represents workers at the site which makes high tech laser discs, said he was happy the matter was closed.

"The company have said they will pay the employees in full. As far as we are concerned that is the end of the matter."

Mr Hoggarth stressed the union "did not condone that sort of action" if any tampering was found to have taken place.

Plasmon decided to close the site just weeks after it bought it from Philips in January.

The site employed more than 40 people although around 10 staff from Blackburn staff are transferring to the Melbourn site on short and long term contracts.

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