THE underwear manufacturer which invented Y-fronts is pulling out of Tyneside with the loss of 50 jobs.

Jockey is closing its warehouse at the Team Valley trading estate and has already moved its UK headquarters staff to an office in Manchester.

Its underwear was once made at the Gateshead site, which was opened in 1967, but manufacturing was moved abroad several years ago.

Warehousing at the site is being scaled back before moving to Germany.

The UK head office will also move to Germany. Staff from Gateshead have been moved to a sales and marketing division in Wilmslow, near Manchester.

Jockey is the latest of a number of clothing manufacturers to pull out of the region.