HUNDREDS joined protests at UK ports yesterday over ferry firm P&O’s brutal sacking of 800 workers.

       It emerged that staff ordered off ships were told to pack possessions in black bin bags.

       4

       P&O workers were told to take their possessions away in black bin bags Credit: Gary Stone

       Agency workers warned them: “We’re on our way to take your jobs.”

       It is believed new foreign staff will be on as little as ￡2 to ￡3 an hour — compared with the ￡28-￡30 hourly rate paid to British sailors.

       Hundreds of crew members marched down the A20 near Dover, chanting “Seize the ships now” and “Whose ships? Our ships”.

       Local MP Natalie Elphicke was heckled as she tried to speak to union members.

       She faced chants of “Shame on you” and “You’re on the bosses’ side”.

       There were similar demonstrations at other ports yesterday, including Liverpool and Hull.

       READ MORE ON P&O

       CLEAR THE DECKS Brutal moment security tell P&O crew they have ‘two hours’ to get off ferry

       HOL NO Brits vow ‘NEVER to step foot on a P&O ferry again’ after ‘vicious’ sacking of 800

       A stewardess who worked for P&O for nearly 20 years was on the Pride of Kent when Thursday’s sackings were announced in a video call.

       She said: “We were told to get off and were waiting to get down the gangplank when we were handed letters with our redundancy packages. It was humiliating.”

       Most read in The Sun

       PAIN IN THE NECK Moment protester ties his NECK to post at Everton and has to be cut free

       VLAD'S GOING ON? Moment Putin has speech mysteriously cut off during rally in Russia

       REAL DEAL Chelsea draw nightmare Real Madrid clash in Champions League quarters

       SPOT THE SIGNS Parents warned of highly contagious ‘Victorian’ disease

       A man, who gave his name only as David, said he was working in Cairnryan, Scotland, and revealed: “We packed our stuff under supervision, in case we stole anything. I was given two bin bags.”

       He said an agency worker messaged him earlier to say “we’re on our way to take your jobs, do you realise what’s going on?”.

       A worker who marched on the firm’s office in Hull said: “I’ve been at sea all my life since I left school at 15. We have been beached.”

       A grandfather, with the company for 23 years as a rating, added: “It is total betrayal.”

       Agency worker Mark Canet-Baldwin, from Hull, walked out after the shocking cloak and dagger approach from his bosses.

       He said he and other agency staff had no idea they were being drafted in to replace sacked workers.

       P&O has suspended crossings and cruises for seven to ten days.

       Read More on The Sun

       VLAD'S GOING ON? Moment Putin has speech mysteriously cut off during rally in Russia

       GOLDEN GIRL Rachael Blackmore makes history to become first female winner of Gold Cup

       Downing Street said ministers have ordered a probe into the sackings to see if the law was broken.

       Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng wrote to P&O Ferries chairman Robert Woods, expressing the Government’s “anger” at the situation.

       4

       Local MP Natalie Elphicke was heckled as she tried to speak to union members in Dover Credit: Getty 4

       Angry P&O staff in Liverpool protested after all workers were let go Credit: Peter Powell 4

       Staff marched together in Hull as they branded the move a 'betrayal' Credit: PA

       Wills told 'speak up'

       PRINCE William has been urged to contact P&O owner DP World, a backer of his global environmental prize, to urge a change of policy.

       The Dubai firm gave ￡1million to his Earthshot scheme and William, right, met its boss Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem last month.

       Ex Lib-Dem MP Norman Baker said Wills must ask his “friend” to reverse the move.

       Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, meanwhile, said P&O’s action was inhumane and unethical.