Alan Coombs, president of the steelworkers' union Community, says cuts are "worrying"

A tweet from BBC Wales' economics correspondent

The prime minister's official spokesman says it is "a worrying time for the workforce".

He said: "The challenge is that there is a broader global crisis because the price of steel has almost halved. Today the focus is working with the Welsh government to support the industry."

Aberavon councillor Tony Taylor worked at the steelworks from 1971 before retiring last year.

He said: "When I started... there were 13,000 people working there, an incredible amount of people. And everybody had an aunt, uncle, brother, son, father working inside there.

"If someone's hurt inside that works, we all hurt and that's the incredible feeling that's that sense of family."

Image source, Getty Images

A look at why Port Talbot steelworks is still important for the Welsh economy

Image source, Wales News Service

First Minister Carwyn Jones tells a press conference he has asked the Welsh economy minister to chair a "high level task force"

First Minister Carwyn Jones tells a press conference the UK government needs to act

Demand for steel worldwide has not returned to pre-financial crash levels

Ben Cottam, Federation of Small Businesses Wales' head of external affairs, said: "Today's announcement is a hammer blow for the whole community of Port Talbot, and will have severe repercussions for the local economy.

"We have not seen job losses like this in Wales since the closure of the Ebbw Vale steelworks."

Nathan Gill, leader of UKIP in Wales, called it "another devastating blow to Welsh workers, Welsh heavy industry and to the Welsh economy".He added: "It's heartbreaking for the workers who now face the worst possible news."

The MP for Aberavon also tweeted that he "deeply regrets" the announcement, calling the Port Talbot steel works "the beating heart of our economy, and of our community".

A debate on the steel jobs announcement is expected in the House of Commons at 15:30, updating the House on the UK government's work to support the sector

We are expecting First Minister Carwyn Jones to hold a press conference on Tata's job loss announcement at 11.30

Brian Meechan, BBC Wales' business correspondent, says Tata has been part of the scene in Port Talbot for decades:

"This is more bad news for a company and an industry that has been struggling and a workforce that has put a lot in, in recent years, to try to make Tata competitive.

"But it is fighting against global forces including cheap imports from China. The UK government has put in measures recently to deal with high energy costs but the industry has been calling for these for four or five years.

"Tata has been part of the scene in Port Talbot for decades. It is the biggest plant in the UK, providing well paid jobs that are difficult to replace."  

BBC Wales reporter Dafydd Morgan is at the scene, where banners have been put up outside the steel works in Port Talbot

Tata is to cut 1,050 jobs, with 750 in Port Talbot and others in Llanwern, Trostre, Corby and Hartlepool, the steel company has confirmed

Councillor Tony Taylor, who retired last year after 44 years working in the plant, said job losses would have a "tremendous impact" on the local economy. 

He said: "It's not only the local community. People are employed there from Llanelli and Swansea and Neath, as far afield as Newport and Chepstow, Caldicot, Ebbw Vale. They work inside that works and all are affected - the little shops, the communities."