More than 200 construction workers staged an unofficial picket today at the Wembley Stadium building site in a row over jobs.

Members of unions Amicus and GMB launched the protest over the cancellation of 200 on-site steel workers' contracts on Friday.

Last month a deal was struck to transfer workers from Cleveland Bridge, based in Darlington, County Durham, to a new company when it quit the project.

But their new employer, Hollandia/Fast Track, cancelled the contracts on Friday - as revealed by The Northern Echo - after workers staged unofficial action.

A spokesman for Multiplex, the Wembley project's main contractor, said: ''We were advised that the decision followed some independent action taken by the workers, who had made unacceptable additional demands, despite agreeing new employment contracts with Hollandia/Fast Track in July.

''Hollandia/Fast Track informed us that the workers put them in an untenable position and that they had no option but to end their employment.''

Multiplex said it had obtained assurances from Hollandia/Fast Track that the project would continue on schedule and new staff were already being taken on. It is understood the workers were looking for new agreements on working hours and long weekends.

John Connor, 49, a spokesman for the protesters said: ''They have gone back on their agreements.

''There has not been an industrial dispute on this project yet. All we want to do is work. We will be here as long as it takes.''