HARTLEBURY is in the midst of a week of employment gloom with the axe falling on nearly 60 jobs.

Radiator manufacturing firm Rettig Heating, which has been on the village's trading estate for more than 12 years, finally closes its doors tomorrow after announcing in May last year it was moving operations to Birtley in County Durham.

And 19 workers have lost their jobs at shed and fencing manufacturer Larch Lap, also based at Hartlebury Trading Estate.

It blames the weather, the World Cup and the Queen's Golden Jubilee for contributing to a drop in demand for its products.

The Finnish-owned Rettig Group became Europe's largest central heating manufacturer with the buy-out of firms from Blue Circle last year.

The switch to the north east is the result of a review into warehousing operations.

But an overtime ban and other cost-cutting measures have been introduced temporarily to prevent further redundancies at Larch Lap.

Parent company Forest Garden, the country's largest garden timber maker, based at Stanford Bridge, near Great Witley, said 25 jobs in total - representing just over 2.5 per cent of the workforce - were being lost at its Hartlebury and Shobdon, Herefordshire, sites following a "a disappointing trading season that has affected most of the gardening industry".

The job losses, which affect workers with less than 12 months' service, leaves the company with 875 employees based in six locations mainly in Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

Forest Garden managing director Michael Timmis said: "This has been a very difficult trading year with incredibly strong spring sales being followed by a drop in demand during May and June."

The 35-year-old company manufactures a wide range of timber garden accessories under the Larch Lap and Forest names, and supplies leading stores such as B&Q, Homebase and Wickes.