HUNDREDS of jobs are under threat as a US electronics company looks certain to pull out of the North-East.

More than 500 jobs will go if Viasystems announces the expected closure of its plant, which only opened three years ago, in Longbenton, North Tyneside.

A Government task force, in conjunction with local authorities, is on standby to help employees retrain.

The task force includes One NorthEast, the Learning Skills Council, North and South Tyneside councils, the Government Office North-East and training providers.

Earlier this month, Viasystems closed another site at Boldon, South Tyneside, with the loss of 60 jobs.

The firm has a further 1,100 staff at South Shields and it is thought they could be made to reapply for their jobs, along with those from Longbenton.

Stephen Hepburn, MP for Jarrow, said: "We are still hopeful about the South Shields plant and there could be even more investment there, but for those people at Longbenton this would be a shock."

Kevin Curran, regional secretary of the GMB union, said: "We are ready to help anyone who loses their job to retrain."

When it opened in 1998, Viasystems on North Tyneside was the most advanced and biggest printed circuit board centre in the world.

No one from the firm was available to comment yesterday.