FOUR employees at a Hampshire bakery have been suspended amid allegations they stripped a teenage worker and taped him to a chair during a birthday prank.

An investigation has been launched by bosses at Eastleigh's Manor Bakeries, which makes Mr Kipling cakes, after a complaint was made by the 18-year-old's mother.

It is thought the incident was the result of a prank to mark the teenager's birthday.

Senior management at the company's factory in Leigh Road are looking into the claims by the teenager's mother about the incident.

The men have been suspended on full pay and are due to be interviewed in the presence of representatives from the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union later this week.

Meanwhile, the worker at the centre of the allegations continues to work at the factory.

A spokesman for the bakery firm said: "We took immediate action when we first heard these allegations late on Wednesday last week.

"We instigated an urgent investigation and as a result four shopfloor operatives have been suspended indefinitely on full pay, pending the outcome of the investigation.''

"Management is taking the matter very seriously.

"Until the investigation has been completed we cannot make any further comment."

One worker at the plant, who declined to be named, said: "Everyone in the bakery is talking about it.

"It was done as a joke but it went too far. When the boy's mother heard of what happened she phoned the personnel department and told them."

A Hampshire police spokeswoman said the force had not received a complaint.