IT WAS an emotional farewell for former workers of the Westbury Cement Works and their relatives as they met on Saturday (April 16) to share pictures and memories of the former factory.

More than 200 former employees turned up to the White Horse Country Park on Saturday to bid farewell to the cement works, which are currently being demolished.

Trevor Adams, one of the organisers of the event, said: “It was an absolutely brilliant night and even exceeded my expectations.

“The turn-out was incredible. To have over 200 people there sharing stories with each other was really the highlight for me, it was fantastic to see.

“I arrived at about 5pm and thought I would have been one of the first people there, but the clubhouse was already heaving.

“There were lots of old faces there and a wide range of ages, which was just what we wanted.

“All in all it was a brilliant send-off for the works. Who knows, maybe we’ll organise another one in a few years.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to Tarmac, who supplied a delicious barbecue which went down very well, and to the White Horse Country Park, who bent over backwards to accommodate all of us.”

The depot of the cement works is still in operation with around 20 employees, but the rest of the works no longer operates.

The chimney of the works is due to be demolished in late May, when hundreds of people are expected to watch the giant chimney come toppling down.

Originally owned by Blue Circle, and later by French company Lafarge, at one time the works produced cement which was partly made by burning local household waste.

Stone for the cement was quarried on White Horse Hill, and the cement was originally shipped out by train, with the works having its own sidings onto the main line.

Mr Adams added: "It just goes to show that the cement works really did mean an awful lot to a lot of people, and it will be dearly missed to many."