MORE than 50 jobs are at risk at an engineering firm which maintains military vehicles, field generators and ceremonial gun carriers.

Defence company Babcock has launched a consultation with the 55 staff at its site in Flagstaff Road, Colchester, after deciding its can no longer run it.

Operations are due to shut down at the end of this year.

A spokesman for the company said: “Following a review, we have determined it is not viable to continue to provide services from the main site at Colchester, and we, therefore, propose to transfer its workload to other sites.

“We are undertaking a consultation with the 55 people potentially affected, and where possible, we will offer alternative positions at other sites.”

When the site was first set up, it was the 36 Command Workshop.

Leading union Unite plans to make strong representations on behalf of their 37 members during the consultation.

In 2015, Babcock bought up the Ministry of Defence executive agency the Defence Support Group (DSG) which had previously run several similar sites across the country including the one in Colchester.

Unite regional officer Michelle Cook said workers across the country would now be fearful for their futures.

She said: “The Colchester announcement has raised serious concerns among employees at other DSG sites, fearful they may be next on the never-ending conveyor belt of job losses. Babcock seems trapped in a downward spiral of its own making.

“ It is not generating a profit on the DSG contract, so it is culling staff to save costs.

“Fewer staff means it is unable to hit targets with the knock-on effect of more job losses.

“Unite is angry its DSG members are expected to pay for Babcock’s myriad of shortcomings with their livelihoods.

“DSG employs highly skilled and experienced workers who provide safety critical services to protect UK troops.”

Unite called for the Government to take the operation back.