'People were in tears' - workers react after Devon ceramics firm British Ceramic Tile Limited enters administration

Employees who are fearing for their jobs at a major Devon manufacturer have told ITV that people were in tears when they were told the news.

Newton Abbot-based British Ceramic Tile Limited announced on Wednesday (30 January) that it had ceased trading with immediate effect.

The UK’s largest manufacturer of ceramic wall and floor tiles employs around 400 people. The firm said it had lost a “key customer contract in recent days”, resulting in 313 redundancies.

An employee, who spoke to ITV News but wanted to remain anonymous, said people "were in tears".

It is understood 270 of the jobs that will be cut are based at Newton Abbot and 10 in Cullompton.

The remaining 67 employees will support the orderly winding down of the business, administrators said.

The company released the following statement:

In addition to its headquarters in Newton Abbot, British Ceramic Tile Limited operates sites in Cullompton and Cleckheaton in West Yorkshire.