ROY Davies, 52, has worked as a mill technician at Alcan for the past 27 years. Yesterday, as he left his shift at the site, Mr Davies was in a gloomy mood. On the same day last year, he had been through it all before as 170 jobs were axed from the plant.

But this, he said, was worse. He said: "This is devastating news for the area. "Alcan have always been good payers but it seems the goose that lay the golden egg has sat down - where are people going to find new jobs?"

Many people leaving the site last night were too depressed to comment. Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) branch secretary, Jeff Woods told us: "I am very bitter and very angry at this announcement especially when we were told in October that between five and seven per cent of the Alcan business was to be cut across the board but this has now been turned into fifty per cent cut in jobs at Rogerstone." Alcan spokeswoman Joan Chesney said the job cuts were necessary to safeguard its future.

She said: "A £20m investment at the Gwent plant is in its final stages and overall we are going to have a more focused business in future."

Newport and Gwent Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mike Lynam said the effects of the job losses at Alcan coming on top of those at Llanwern could have a serious effect on the local economy.

And Newport West MP Paul Flynn described the job losses as "a grievous blow to the families concerned" and "a severe blow to the heart of the manufacturing industry in Newport".

In the Assembly, First Minister Rhodri Morgan pledged to take "urgent action" if the 310 job cuts were made.

But he told the Argus that it would be wrong to suggest South East Wales was approaching a recession.

He said: "We have the lowest unemployment for 25 years, the highest number of people in jobs, low inflation, low interest rates and very buoyant consumer spending - more than 850 redundant Corus workers in Wales have already found new jobs and there have been a number of significant jobs gains in South East Wales in recent months."

Liberal Democrat AM Michael German was also dismayed at the news and hoped Alcan would reconsider its plans.

"The British government needs to move the decision on the euro forward, and quickly, to prevent many more redundancies that will inevitably occur if we remain outside the single currency."

*PICTURED: Alcan spokeswoman Joan Chesney said the cuts were necessary.