Workers left without pay by one of the biggest employers in Sussex have spoken of their fears.

Yesterday 750 employees at car giant Daewoo's Worthing plant were told they would not receive their salaries because of a cash crisis.

The workers have been left wondering how they will meet their mortgage payments and bills.

An emergency meeting was held yesterday between management and local MPs to try to solve the cash-flow problems.

Daewoo, which has already announced 113 redundancies at the plant, had previously angered workers by giving a free car to Worthing mayor Ann Lynn just months after announcing the job losses.

Workers who spoke to the Argus last night said they had been given no indication when they would be paid.

Most did not want to be identified to protect their jobs.

One said: "The atmosphere is terrible at the moment. We all have wives and children to feed as well as mortgages to pay.

"This has happened before but usually we are given another date for payment.

"But this time we have not heard anything about when we will be paid."

Another said: "We are all naturally very worried. We seem to be on a ship that is sinking. Lots of people are considering leaving. It's a risk to work at a place that suddenly says it can't pay you.

"We are all waiting for Monday, when there will apparently be another announcement."

Union leaders said today they were seeking an urgent meeting with the company.

Dave Fleming, regional officer for the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union, said the skilled technicians, designers, computer analysts and other craftsmen, who earn up to £30,000 a year, now feared for their future.

He said: "The workers are being treated with contempt and the decision to withhold their pay is completely unacceptable."

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton, who met Daewoo managers, said: "I very much hope they will get through these current troubles and remain a major part of Worthing's economy."

Herbie Golds, president of Worthing Chamber of Trade, said: "While we can all understand that Daewoo have had problems, I would have thought the company would have made provision to be in the position where they could at least pay their staff.

"There are means whereby that could happen in this case and people should be compensated."

In August, Daewoo axed 113 jobs at the plant in Lyons Farm.

Now the future looks grim for hundreds of workers as Daewoo struggles to find a buyer.

The company's problems started when Korea slumped into economic crisis in 1997 and it has been on the market for some time.

The Worthing plant boasts some of the most advanced hi-tech development facilities in the country.

The Matiz, one of Daewoo's latest models, was designed there.

A Daewoo official said there were no funds available from Daewoo's base in Seoul to pay salaries on time.