The Evening Gazette on Teesside has claimed victory in its Save Our Steel campaign after the future of the Corus Redcar plant was secured for the next ten years.

The steel giant lifted the the threat of 1,700 job losses and up to 10,000 in the supply chain after revealing an agreement for its Teesside Cast Products business to supply a consortium of overseas companies for the next decade.

The future of the operation had been put in doubt in April 2003 when restructuring left the site surplus to requirements, and the Gazette launched a campaign to retain Teesside's steel-making skills.

The high-profile fight included a Steel Summit, chaired by the paper, which was broadcast live on TV and radio and saw hundreds of workers along with MPs, union leaders and local authorities demand answers from the company and government.

Editor Steve Dyson said the victory was a result of the willingness of Teesside to stand up and fight.

He said: "The news is a tribute to that never-say-die spirit; to the skill, drive and expertise of our workers; to the superb quality of the product they produce; to the determination of all those fiercely determined our steel trade would survive - and prosper.

"Back in the early dark days of battle, the Evening Gazette launched 'Save Our Steel' on the back of this grit and passion. It was one of the first of our interactive campaigns under the banner of Tees Pride and we organised a summit to give the workers and their families a voice that challenged the company, the unions, the Government.

"The whole of Teesside took up the cudgels and defiantly declared the intent to fight and win.

"Now Teesside has saved its steel. Its great heritage has been preserved.

"In the years to come it can add another chapter to the legend. This is what Tees Pride is all about."

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