NISSAN boss Carlos Ghosn has repeated his warning that thousands of jobs are at risk unless Britain joins the euro.

The car firm's UK president and chief executive said the future of its Wearside plantdepended on whether the UK adopted the euro.

The jobs of 5,000 workers were thought to be safe after they helped land the contract to build the new generation Micra last year.

Production is due to begin next month after a £235m investment.

The plant is the most productive in Europe, but Britain not joining the euro has added extra costs and complications for Nissan in the UK.

Asked if Nissan would shift production abroad unless Britain joined the euro, Mr Ghosn said: "No, it's a reality. It's not a question of threat, it's a reality that we will take this into consideration each time we have to make an investment.

"We would like, as much as possible, to have Sunderland producing a lot of cars, but at the same time making cars that would allow us to make a profit."

At the Paris Motor Show he added: "We are worried about having our cost base in pounds and to have our revenue base in euros. This is a situation we don't like.

"When the next investments come in the next couple of years, we hope we don't have to go through the same kind of analysis. So the only concern we have in Sunderland is not about the plant but about this.

"Obviously, that is not our decision. It's the decision of the UK government. That's why it's our duty to express our difficulties and our hopes."