A Government minister has pledged to help workers at Daewoo after bosses told them there was no cash to pay their wages.

Letters were sent to 750 employees at the firm's Worthing technical centre telling them the Korean company faced a cash crisis and they would not be paid this month.

But after a meeting with union chiefs, Industry Secretary Stephen Byers is to intervene.

An emergency meeting between Mr Byers and the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union took place yesterday.

The MSF has secured a commitment from the minister that he will approach Daewoo through the British Embassy in Seoul to help UK staff hit by the crisis.

Mr Byers has promised to discuss the £5.5 billion offer made by Ford for the Daewoo group but rejected by the company to investigate the possibility of resurrecting the deal He said he would also ask about the feasibility of selling off the Worthing technical centre separately from the rest of the Daewoo group.

MSF General Secretary Roger Lyons said: "The workforce at Daewoo deserve better treatment than they have received so far.

"These promises from Stephen Byers are very welcome, but I call on the Korean owners of Daewoo to pay their workforce what they owe them now."

Daewoo has already axed 113 jobs at the Lyons Farm site.

The car giant has been on the market for some time and there was disappointment when talks failed with Ford last month.