The cost-cutting programme is expected to save Trinity Mirror 4m this year, 16m in 2004 and 25m by 2005.

The group also said that a project aimed at improving manufacturing and reduce newsprint costs was already underway.

A spokesman for Trinity Mirror said: The job cuts affect all staff across regionals and nationals, and across all job functions. However, no further details of which manufacturing sites would be affected were available.

In a statement the company said that it wanted to exploit economies of scale in manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, content creation, advertising sales and the management of expert functions such as finance, HR and IT .

Trinity Mirrors interim results for the six months to 29 June showed that its turnover fell 1.4%, to 551.6m. Pre-tax profit before exceptional costs increased 2.6% to 80.4m.

This week the GPMU has issued ballot papers to 82 workers at Trinity Mirrors administrative centre in Glasgow, after the company revealed plans to transfer between 10 and 19 jobs to Watford.

Story by John Davies