HUNDREDS of workers at a Hampshire train care depot today face fresh uncertainty over their jobs.

Their company, French engineering giant Alstom, is already on the brink of financial collapse because of a £3.4 billion debt.

Now the European Commission has blocked a £2 billion rescue package by the French government.

The Commission argued that Paris has no right to bail out a private company with public money because it distorts competition rules.

Alstom owns the highly-regarded train care depot in Eastleigh. It also owns the French shipyard where the world's biggest, and grandest passenger ship is being built.

Cunard's £550m Queen Mary 2 is due at her home port of Southampton on December 19.

An Alstom spokesman was unable to spell out the implications for the Eastleigh workers. She said: "We are not commenting on the French rescue package for Alstom."

Alstom, which employs about 10,000 people in the UK, urgently needs to find money to stay afloat.

The legal block means the company would have problems attracting crucial private investment from banks.

Brussels announced that it was launching a probe into the arrangements, which could see the French government take a 31 per cent stake in the company.

Trading in Alstom's shares has been suspended again at its own request.