Emotional staff see last Ford Transit van produced at the company's factory in Swaythling

Emotional staff gathered to witness the historic moment at 11am this morning.

The final van was driven by the firm's longest serving employee in Southampton Graham Clarke.

Mr Clarke was all smiles as colleagues clapped and cheered the final vehicle come off the line.

It brings to an end 60 years of van manufacturing and assembly at the Swaythling plant.

Operations at the plant officially ceased today and work will wind down until the plant officially shuts for good tomorrow.

Workers later marked the occasion with a barbecue as Ford thanked its employees for years of service.

More than 7m Transits have been built by the company since 1965, with more than 2.2m produced in Southampton.

Now its 531 employees will prepare for life away from the fully-operational plant.

A total of 134 of these will go on to work at Ford's new redistribution centre at Southampton Docks of its vehicle refurbishment centre on the existing plant site.

Ford Transit enthusiasts parked up with vintage vehicles this afternoon to mark the last day of van production in the city.

They beeped their horns as they drove out of the site in Wide Lane.

For all the latest news and background to the Ford closure click here