EU collaboration is vital to industry and academia

She toured the business and spoke to staff about the importance of remaining in the European Union.

Torque provides freight, courier, warehousing and distribution services in the UK and overseas and the company employs around 800 people.

Meanwhile a senior professor from the University of Leeds was among those stating the academic case for a remain vote last night. Vice chancellor Sir Alan Langlands joined colleagues from 96 universities to co-sign an open letter expressing “grave concern about the impact of a UK exit from the EU on our universities and students”.

The letter says: “Every year, universities generate over £73bn for the UK economy – £3.7bn of which is generated by students from EU countries. Our membership of the EU enhances this positive impact and makes our outstanding universities even stronger.

“Inside the EU, we are better able to work collaboratively on ground-breaking research in areas from cancer to climate change.”