Job fears after refinery decision

Dozens of jobs on Teesside are in doubt after an oil company decided to suspend refinery operations.

The Swiss owners of Petroplus have said the site will be turned into a terminal or storage facility.

The refinery at Seal Sands near Billingham employs 180 people, but it has not yet been revealed how many jobs are at risk.

Local MP Frank Cook has vowed to fight the plans, which he described as a "devastating blow" to the community.

Petroplus, which operates seven refineries in the UK and Europe, said on its website that market conditions were not good enough to restart its UK Teesside refinery.

Chief executive, Jean-Paul Vettier, said:"This site will continue to operate as a terminal and storage facility."

Mr Cook, MP for Stockton North, said: "I regret that my efforts to seek assistance from the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson have met with very little response, but I believe that even at this stage he should be prepared to get involved and recognise that losing a refinery would be a devastating blow to the whole Teesside chemical industry and indeed the UK economy."