Kind-hearted bosses across west Wiltshire allowed many workers to watch England’s crunch game in the World Cup on Wednesday.

Many companies put England’s 1-0 final group game victory over Slovenia on big screens at work, as it kicked off at 3pm.

Bosses at Avon Rubber, in Hampton Park West, Semington, set up a 53-inch screen in a meeting room for employees who wanted to watch the match.

Craig Sage, general manager, said: “Here at Avon we are adopting a flexible approach to allow all employees the opportunity to watch the game.

“We were all hoping for a positive result.”

Matt Evans, sales director, said: “We think it is an important occasion.

“People want to watch the game and everyone has agreed to make up the time elsewhere, so it will not affect the company’s operations at all.”

Julian Davies, customer services manager, who also watched the game, said: “It is good that you can watch it if you want.

“But others have chosen not to and are carrying on on the floor, in particular the ladies, but at least we have the option if we want to.”

Staff at Virgin Mobile’s headquarters on the White Horse Business Park, in Trowbridge, were also able to enjoy the game on screens around their offices.

Wednesday’s match was England’s first daytime weekday game and their last chance to secure a place in the knock-out stages, so many businesses across the country expected that some employees would not show up at work.

Research suggested as many as five per cent of workers said they pull a ‘sickie’ to catch the match.

That would equal 1,499,160 sick days in the UK throughout the World Cup, costing Britain around £147 million.

For some organisations, however, it was business as usual.

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said the usual rules would apply and staff would need to take annual leave to enjoy the game.

Cooper Tires, in Bath Road, Melksham, said that they did not have the facilities to put on the match at the factory.