BENTLEY Motors has announced they are cranking up their coronavirus testing regime as production started up again this week after an extended holiday shutdown.

The luxury car maker's measures to ensure its manufacturing staff can return to full production, despite the lockdown, includes quadrupling a rapid antigen testing programme.

That will see 1,800 workers tested over a two-day period, which the firm says will take the number of Covid-19 tests undertaken on the Pyms Lane site in Crewe to nearly 15,000 since last May.

Of those, 272 have produced positive results, but most staff were asymptomatic.

The firm says a mark of the success of its testing programme is that there have been no "proven cases" of on-site transmission.

Member of the Board for People, Digitalisation and IT Dr. Astrid Fontaine said: "As we begin a new year under challenging circumstances, we remain committed to not only maintaining our strong lines of defence, but reinforcing them.

"The health, safety and wellbeing of our colleagues, their families and our communities will always be our number one priority and the measures that we have put in place will protect us in the short-term, while also building a secure basis for our future exciting strategic ambitions and growth."

Bentley has introduced a new site risk assessment app on top of already wide-ranging hygiene and social distancing measures.

The majority of Bentley's 4,000-strong workforce will continue to work from home.

Meanwhile, the company is encouraging staff to volunteer for the vaccination roll-out programme and has launched a meals on wheels service to reach vulnerable members of the community, while also donating around 30 laptops to local schools.