HOPES that workers at MFI's North-East factory might save their jobs have been dashed.

The troubled furniture manufacturer said last night its factory on the Preston Farm Industrial Estate, in Stockton, Teesside, would be closing next week.

The company announced the closure in March, with the loss of 533 jobs, but would not give a closure date at the time.

But last night, a spokeswoman confirmed it would be May 28. She said: "The factory will cease production after that date. However, a small closure team will remain to wind up the site."

The naming of a closure date dashed any hopes workers and unions had left of saving any jobs. Unions said the company was "hell-bent" on closing the factory.

The Transport & General Workers Union (TGWU) has been working with JobCentre Plus, regional development agency One NorthEast, and employment consultants to help employees find new jobs.

Allan Gray, of the TGWU, said he was confident that at least 60 per cent of the workforce would have found new jobs by the end of May.

But he said: "They're getting on with finding jobs now, but there's still anger among the workforce.

"MFI did not want to save any jobs at that factory, and there is a lot of ill feeling that the work has been moved abroad to Italy, and to Turkey. It is going to be a very, very sad day when the factory closes."

MFI announced last month it was cutting 1,500 jobs across the UK, which included the closure of its Stockton plant.

At the time, unions described the move as devastating, and a dark day for manufacturing in Britain.

MFI made losses of £600,000 last year, against £54.4m profits the previous year.