Troubled power company British Energy was awarded a £410 million emergency loan from the government yesterday - a move which did not prevent the share price from plummeting to a record low of 28 pence.

Bosses have warned that a permanent cash injection of £280 million is needed to save the firm, which provides a fifth of the UK's energy, from insolvency.

Yesterday's loan secures the company's future until the end of the month.

"We clearly cannot rule out the possibility of administration - this deal is primarily about securing energy for Britain, not securing British Energy," trade secretary Patricia Hewitt warned.