Vauxhall celebrates 5,000,000 cars produced at Ellesmere Port

Vauxhall has today celebrated the five millionth car to be made at its Ellesmere Port factory.

The Luton-based manufacturer began producing cars at the site in 1964, with notable models made at the site including the original Viva, the Chevette and all six generations of the Astra.

Currently the plant's 1800-strong workforce helps to produce a new car every two minutes. Total annual output over the past 50 years has stood at an average of 100,000 units.

The plant is currently gearing up to produce the new Astra, which is scheduled to come to market at the end of next year. Production of the new model was awarded to the factory earlier this year, and is due to begin in August 2015.

An additional 300 staff are being taken on at the site to cope with demand, while parent company GM is investing £140 million to secure the factory's future into the middle of the next decade.

Watch Vauxhall's celebration of Ellesmere Port in the video below.

Celebrating 50 years of Ellesmere Port - picture special