CAR maker Nissan has announced plans to cut 365 temporary jobs at its Sunderland factory this summer due to a dip in demand. 

Nissan has added 2,000 people to its North-East workforce in the past two years taking staff numbers beyond 7,000, to support a £1bn new model investment programme and deliver record sales in Europe.

After making more than 500,000 vehicles in both of those years, in January the Japanese firm introduced 24-hour operations across the entire site at Sunderland for the first time.

Market conditions do not require the plant to be at such levels beyond the summer, therefore Line 2 will return to two-shift operations from mid-June, it said.

This decision will reduce the total headcount at Nissan Sunderland by 365, but the company expects the actual number of people affected to be fewer, due to staff turnover. Those leaving the company will be limited to staff hired on temporary contracts.

Thre move will reduce the headcount at Sunderland to about 6,700, supporting two-shift operations on Line 2 with 24-hour operations continuing across the rest of the site.

This year Nissan expects to make 500,000 cars in Sunderland for a third consecutive year, which will be another record for the UK car industry.