WORKERS at the Coryton Refinery say they are fearful about the future of the plant.

Concerns arose amid news owner Petroplus has been forced to temporarily close three of its five refineries in Europe, after its bank lenders froze a £645million credit facility needed to buy crude oil.

Despite no announcement from the company regarding Coryton’s future, many of its 500 employees and 400 contractors at the refinery, off the Manorway, in Stanford-le-Hope, are worried.

A former refinery worker, from Corringham, whose son works as a contractor at Coryton, said: “Everyone down there is really concerned.

“My son works for a contractor that does oil tank maintenance and they’ve had to pull off site as they can’t get a guarantee they will be paid.

“They had to tell some workers not to come back after Christmas.”

He added: “I’d hate to see the refinery close as it’s an institution around here, but it doesn’t look good.”

The refineries due to close temporarily are in France, Belgium, and Switzerland.

The pan-European group of unions, including British workers union Unite, has called on governments in Europe to help Petroplus workers.

Coryton is the largest refinery the company has, and is running as normal.

Petroplus, which is Europe’s largest independent wholesaler of petroleum products, bought the 586-acre site from British Petroleum in 2007, for just over £700million.

Sources at the company have said it will continue to run as normal.

Petroplus Coryton refused to comment.