British Gas has suspended 28 Solihull office workers after an investigation found staff were allegedly distributing pornographic emails.

The staff at Blythe Valley Business Park will face disciplinary hearings and could either be dismissed or receive written warnings.

Many employees, including some long-serving staff, were escorted off the premises after being suspended for alleged gross misconduct.

A spokesman from British Gas's parent company, Centrica, yesterday refused to confirm what the emails contained, adding: "It was material that goes beyond what colleagues within the business and our customers would deem acceptable."

However, despite claims by staff that the charges relate to "joke emails", The Birmingham Post understands that pornographic images were alleged to have been circulated.

British Gas spokesman John Jessup said: "Staff have been suspended for alleged breach of the code of conduct on the use of emails and the internet.

"We are simply applying the code, which we do on a regular basis - a code that is supported by the trade unions.

"People have been sent home, pending disciplinary hearings. What will come out of these hearings is that they could either get a written warning or they will be dismissed.

"My understanding is that the investigation has been completed."

More than 1,000 jobs are to be axed at the Solihull branch of British Gas over the next year. The public utility company announced it was cutting 2,000 clerical jobs across the country as part of a reorganisation to source some back-office work to India.

Staff at Blythe Valley were told on Monday that jobs at the Solihull office would be shed from July to September next year.

Some of the relatives of the suspended staff claimed the suspensions were an attempt by the company to cut its redundancy outlay.

A source said: "A member of my family was marched out of British Gas.

"He was handed an envelope which contained claims of computer impropriety, and was then taken outside.

"From what I understand, these emails are jokes, relating to bin Laden. It was nothing to do with porn.

"Obviously, the concern is that British Gas is doing this so it does not have to settle any redundancies. There was a guy who was escorted off the premises who has done 35 years service and was looking at getting £80,000.

"British Gas has hired a room at the Ramada Hotel in Solihull next week where they will hear the cases of those involved."

Mr Jessup said the suspensions were "totally unconnected" to the closure of the Blythe Valley complex.

He said "No one is going to be leaving on redundancy until July 2006 and no individual has been identified as being due for redundancy.

"We are currently asking people if they want to be redeployed in British Gas or want to leave.

"If people leave in the future then their salary and length of service would determine their redundancy. Whether they have had a written warning would be irrelevant."