Car giant BMW faced more criticism today over its alleged ageist policy.

BMW has said it wants to reduce its average workforce age from 45 to 30. As a result, it has asked people over 50 if they would like to leave in return for a golden handshake, thought to be equivalent to a year's pay.

County council personnel officer Hilary Simpson said the council targeted younger people and was shocked that BMW managers were offering redundancy to older staff.

Ms Simpson said: "I was surprised to see it put as starkly as BMW put it. It may put people off getting a job with them. I am the wrong side of 30 myself."

Unipart, in Cowley, has a equal opportunities policy, which specifically mentions age.

And at Oxford-based charity Oxfam, more than a third of the staff are aged between 45 and 68 higher than the national average of 32 per cent.