OXFORD: BMW’S Mini car plant in Cowley has been forced to shut down for two days from tomorrow due to a fault at the firm’s body pressings plant in Swindon.

As a result, the Cowley plant is short of doors for Minis, so production will be suspended tomorrow and Friday, ahead of the scheduled Easter shutdown.

Repairs are under way at Swindon and production at Cowley should resume as planned on Wednesday.

Employees will be asked to make up the extra holiday under the plant’s working time account system.

BMW spokesman Rebecca Baxter said: “We are providing updates for staff via a dedicated website and telephone lines.”