WORKERS at Crest Packaging reacted with shock, dismay and despair at the announced closure of their Gillingham plant.

Chris Pilkinton, 57, said: “For two years we have been on a roller coaster as far as the future of the company is concerned. I don’t believe we were kept properly informed of developments by the receivers or the management.

“Only an hour before the announcement was made we were told our jobs were safe.’’

Matthew Howe, 24, said: “People were crying when the news was broken. The atmosphere has been funereal since then.”

Gary Allen, 43, who has been with the company for 23 years, said: “A lot of people from the same families work in this company, including husbands and wives. It means the incomes of entire households are being wiped out.’’

Teresa Bailey, 42, works at the company with her daughter Vanessa, 19. She said: “It is all very bleak.

The company is winding down over the next three months and we don’t even know when we have to leave so we can’t make plans to find other work.

“I have been with the company for 24 years and I will only get £7,000 redundancy. I will have to find another job soon because nobody is going to pay my mortgage.”

Jack Manger, 29, said: “I am really worried because my wife is pregnant with her second child. It will take time to find another job. You can’t just walk out of one and straight into another."