Warwickshire companies have been ordered to pay back nearly £620,000 to workers short-changed by not paying minimum wage.

The brunt of the money has been paid back by Pilgrim's Pride Ltd (previously Tulip Limited), who failed to pay £597,299.65 to 2,698 workers between 2014 and 2019.

The higher welfare pig farmer, based at Warwick Technology Park was one of 524 companies ordered by the Department for Business and Trade to repay its workers this week.

The company was found to have short-changed workers between £221.39 on average.

A government statement said the 524 employers were found to have failed to pay their workers nearly £16 million in a "clear breach" of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) law, leaving over 172,000 workers out of pocket.

The businesses named have since paid back what they owe to their staff and have also faced financial penalties of up to 200 per cent of their underpayment.

The investigations by His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) concluded between 2015 and 2023.

Also on the list was Warwick-based A.B.M.Catering Limited, which failed to pay £17,195.83 to 270 workers.

The low payments were made between 2017 and 2019.

In December ABM reached an out of court settlement after admitting to four different food hygiene offences.

The Saltisford firm settled with West Northamptonshire Council following reported mouse sightings in a school kitchen run by the firm.

Meanwhile, Logic 360 Ltd, Warwick, CV34, failed to pay £4,222.05 to 98 workers.

Whitacre Garden Centre Limited in Stratford-Upon-Avon was named for failing to pay £826.50 to 37 workers.

And Dorsington Farms Limited - also in Stratford - was forced to pay back £609.97 to three members of staff.