THE future of 150 jobs at telecommunications giant Cable and Wireless' Swindon operation is in question.

The firm is shedding 1,500 jobs in the UK following huge losses of £3.29 billion detailed in its latest annual report.

The company says the jobs will be cut over the next 1824 month period and is unable to guarantee the long-term future of its Swindon workforce, based at the company's £100 million web posting centre at Windmill Hill business park.

In the UK, revenue declined by 16 per cent £1.7 billion, the result of a decline in the performance of the service provider channel.

C&W has also disposed of domestic business in Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy and Switzerland.

The Swindon division was set up two years ago, as the web hosting operation was moved from London to Blagrove.

Cable & Wireless Chairman Richard Lapthorne is reported to have said that as many as 1,000 jobs could be cut before the end of this year.

However, commenting on the future of the Swindon plant, spokesman David Thain said: "We have not specified geographies or sectors as where those specific cuts will take place.

"But we want to do it as quickly as possible and the first people to know will be the staff."