Disgruntled workers and union leaders are demanding showdown talks with a Government minister over plans to close a factory employing disabled people.

The Government appeared to have dealt a decisive blow to Bradford's Remploy factory when it confirmed its closure at the end of last month.

But employees at the Bowling Back Lane factory, backed by the GMB Union, have refused to surrender without a fight and have drawn up detailed proposals to keep the factory open for another two years.

They want to invite Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain to the factory for a meeting, where they will outline their business case for keeping the Bradford branch open.

The plan would see the factory continue production as normal, but a new training centre and employment exchange for disabled people would be incorporated in the building to provide it with another useful function.

Remploy and the Government have promised that compulsory redundancy will not be forced on any disabled employees, but 32 workers will face a transfer to Remploy's Leeds factory if the Bradford plant closes.

Terry Patton, Bradford branch secretary of the GMB union, said: "We now have a business case for keeping the Bradford factory open.

"We are looking to keep it open for two years as a factory, training centre and an employment exchange.

"It will be a tremendous mix and a two-year period of grace would provide the time to prove it's viable."