CAR giant Nissan sent its workers home five days early for their Christmas break today.

It was originally scheduled to be the last production day of the year, with staff due to undergo training and carry out housekeeping duties until the scheduled closedown on December 23.

But bosses announced that "in line with other manufacturers, the Sunderland plant has brought forward its annual Christmas shutdown."

The news will add to the anxious wait employees face over the festive period before they find out the factory's plans for 2009.

Nissan managers are drawing up plans to react to the collapse of the European car market after last Tuesday's shock announcement that employees had been sent home for three days.

They are working on a production plan for the first quarter of next year, after the sudden dip in demand hit its plants and supply chain.

The firm had hoped to have a production schedule in place by the time its Wearside staff clocked off for Christmas next week. But a plant spokesman said the car market was still so volatile it was likely to be early new yearbefore detailed plans were in place.

Other car giants are also struggling, leaving car workers worldwide fearing for their jobs.

Chrysler is reported to have halted production at all of its 30 plants for a month. Along with Ford and General Motors, it has warned the US Government that millions of jobs will be lost if the industry does not get financial support.

In the UK, Ministers have said they could step in to help some parts of the car industry, which employs about 850,000, in "exceptional circumstances", but did not have an "open chequebook".