A global engineering firm is proposing to close its Gloucestershire manufacturing centre with the loss of 185 jobs.

SKF says it is consolidating its aerospace manufacturing operation in Europe which would mean shutting its bearing manufacturing site in Oldends Lane, Stonehouse.

It is not clear whether Brexit has been a factor in the company's decision.

In a statement SKF, which is based in Sweden, said: "The group will now enter into a period of consultation with employee representatives. Should the proposal be confirmed, manufacturing at the site in Stonehouse will cease by 31 December 2021, with production moved to SKF's aerospace bearing manufacturing sites in Italy and France."

Bernd Stephan, president, automotive and aerospace for SKF, said: "This consolidation is necessary in order to secure a continued competitive offering for the aerospace industry, as it shifts away from legacy engines and aircraft to more modern ones.

"We will be able to make better use of more modern machines and manufacturing technologies at our sites in other parts of Europe."

The group says it is committed to engaging with employees and their representatives at Stonehouse and seeks to offer a wide range of support services together with a redundancy package, should the proposal be confirmed.

SKF is a leading global supplier of bearings, seals, mechatronics, lubrication systems, and services which include technical support, maintenance and reliability services, engineering consulting and training.

SKF operates in more than 130 countries and has around 17,000 distributor locations worldwide. Founded in 1907 it mas almost 47,000 employees.