Bentley's plant at Crewe has cut shifts from four days down to three in order to match production to declining demand.

The carmaker, owned by Volkswagen Group, has blamed the cut in production on the economic downturn which has led to a fall in sales.

Bentley said there has been a 16% fall in global sales in the year-to-date, with demand dropping the most in the US market.

Last year the plant made 10,000 cars.

Production line staff will stay on full pay under a "time banking" agreement until production is stepped up again.

Bentley expects the situation to remain challenging for the rest of this year and into the start of 2009.