Fifteen scientists will lose their jobs when a historic lab carrying out vital safety tests on consumer goods is shut down to "protect the public".

Since 1929, the Staffordshire County Council lab has ensured a host of products bought by Burton and Uttoxeter consumers are safe.

But council officers say the facility is set to make a loss of £108,000 a year.

And after it closes on Wednesday, February 28, the authority will pay other labs to run its scientific services.

Staffordshire County Council HQ in Tipping Street, Stafford
Staffordshire County Council HQ in Tipping Street, Stafford

Scientists running the council's scientific services Twitter page posted: "It is with heavy hearts that we have to announce that after 88 years we will be closing our doors in February 2018.

"We would like to thank all of our loyal customers and followers for the support over the years and we wish you all the best for the future."

The lab, in Martin Street, Stafford, provides jobs for 16 people, 15 of whom will be made redundant. One will be transferred to another council department.

Work carried out for the council itself at the time of the decision accounted for just 10 per cent of the lab's workload.

Income from private sector customers has not been enough to make the service sustainable.

Staffordshire County Council's scientific services will close at the end of the month
Staffordshire County Council's scientific services will close at the end of the month

The lab carries out nutritional and chemical analysis of foods, detects contaminants in food, analyses animal feed and fertilisers, analyses pollution levels and safety-tests consumer goods.

Council cabinet member for communities, Gill Heath said standards would not drop when services were out-sourced.

She said: "The decision was taken in July 2017 that we would continue to protect the public by providing the same services necessary for its welfare, but by commissioning those services rather than providing them in-house, we could deliver the same high standard without incurring the costs of operating a laboratory.

"As a result the laboratory will close at the end of this month and we will continue to provide public safety monitoring and testing without interruption."

The council is one of just six authorities to run its own laboratory.

A recent report showed current spending levels would result in a record £35 million budget shortfall by the end of the year.