Production of Vauxhall cars in the UK was halted yesterday because of a shortage of parts caused by a strike in Germany over job cuts.

Workers on the afternoon shift at Ellesmere Port were told to stay home on full pay, leading to the lost production of hundreds of Astra models.

But production was expected to resume “very soon” after German car workers voted to end their industrial action.

Workers at the Bochum plant walked out last Thursday after General Motors, which owns Vauxhall, announced it was to cut 12,000 jobs in Europe.

Ellesmere Port builds more than 700 cars every day.

Germany is expected to bear the brunt of the 12,000 job cuts announced by GM, although union officials said 430 jobs will be lost in the UK over the next two years.