Hundreds of Pfizer staff have been officially told their jobs are at risk.

The move is part of the redundancy consultation programme at the Sandwich pharmaceutical giant.

In total, 900 workers are to be given an 'at risk notice' during the collective consultation period.

But that doesn't mean that all those given the at-risk notificiations will lose their jobs.

A spokesman said: "No colleague will receive notice of redundancy until the current period of collective consultation has concluded.

"Only after that date can colleagues who have been notified they are "at risk" begin to receive notice of redundancy, and this will occur at different times according to the needs and priorities of each area of the business."

The drugs firm will also offer an inducement to staff to leave the site.

A spokesman said this would provide "increased financial flexibility, and a longer period of financial certainty".

Staff will be given a bonus equal to three months basic salary as part of their redundancy package.

Pfizer announced it has created a one-off fund to support charities it has helped in recent years.