Two Wadworth horsemen made redundant this year have spoken of their anger at seeing their job advertised just over three months after they left the firm.

But the company denies the job is the same one they left in February, saying it is a much more junior position.

Vince Minty and Barry Petherick took voluntary redundancy after the brewery reduced its dray team from three shire horses to two and did not need as many staff at the stables in Northgate Street, Devizes.

But the men were shocked when an advert appeared on the Shire horses’ Facebook page, inviting applications for the post of groom, working as part of the team at the stables and assisting with the deliveries of beer, wine and spirits around Devizes.

They were even more distressed to hear they had no recourse in law to get their old jobs back as the company is free to advertise the redundant position after three months.

Mr Minty, who has a six-year-old daughter, said: “I am quite angry about this. It looks like it was planned like that. They just wanted rid of us but I don’t think the remaining staff could cope with the work.”

Mr Petherick, 50, who worked for the brewery for 30 years, said: “I am disappointed with the way the company has dealt with this.

“Vince and I saw the way things were going, so we applied for voluntary redundancy. Mr Bartholomew, the chairman, gave me a very good reference and there was no ill feeling.

“Then this week one of my daughters saw the advertisement on Facebook. The job description is exactly what Vince and I were doing. The company needs to answer some questions.

“The whole thing stinks.”

Paul Sullivan, sales and marketing director at Wadworth, said the advertised job was completely different and would suit a much younger person.

He said: “This role was not available at the time of the redundancies and does not represent a ‘suitable alternative’ as regards similar terms and conditions.”

Mr Minty said he and Mr Petherick would not apply for the new post as “the atmosphere would be intolerable”.