Eastleigh has been dealt another body blow with the announcement that 185 jobs are to be axed by Pirelli.

The giant cablemakers - who pulled the plug on 95 posts at its Leigh Road factory in March - has blamed a dramatic global downturn in the telecommunications and transfer industries for the latest losses.

On a brighter note, the company is to create 50 jobs by resurrecting its energy cables operation at Leigh Road, Eastleigh next year.

Today workers were remaining tight-lipped as the redundancy stormclouds gathered around Pirelli's giant Bishopstoke plant.

It was work as usual with the car park full at the Communications Cable Divison in Chickenhall Lane.

One woman worker on her way through the gates said: "I am only a temporary worker here. We have been told about the redundancies but we cannot really make any comment."

Pirelli's glass fibre unit at Bishopstoke is to be "moth-balled" so that production could be started again if market conditions improve.

The unit makes the raw material for optical fibre cable for the telecommunications industry which the company says has been hit by the "sudden cessation" of expansion programmes.

There are no signs of improvement in the foreseeable future.

But Pirelli said that Bishopstoke - which employs a total of 500 workers - would continue to manufacture optical cable and connectivity equipment.

The company said Bishopstoke would remain the commercial headquarters for its UK telecommunications division.

Workers and trade union officials at Bishopstoke have been told of the company's decision and talks are now underway to discuss the redundancies.

Speaking of the Bishopstoke job losses, human resources director John Tierney said: "It is deeply regrettable that we are once again forced by market conditions to reduce our optical fibre capacity."

He added: "Some people may question our decision to close energy cable production at Eastleigh, only to start up again within a year or so.

"Once again, we are dealing with uncertain markets and though oil-filled cables are not the latest technology, the demand for this tried and tested product has remained relatively strong whilst demand for other energy cables has continued to deteriorate.

"Eastleigh is one of the few stand-alone manufacturing units able to make oil-filled cables and it therefore makes sense to resume production at a level that meets current market needs."

Eastleigh council leader Keith House said: "The loss of jobs is very disappointing, but it does reflect the need to ensure that new opportunities for jobs and investment are provided as markets change.

"Eastleigh is fortunate in having one of the lowest levels of unemployment in the country.

"We will continue to work hard with the county council and government to open up the Northern Business Park site close to the airport which has the potential to be the site for many hundreds of jobs locally."