Two competing dailies have marked the confirmed closure of a steelworks on their patch with front page epitaphs to the industry.

Both the Teesside Gazette and the Northern Echo mourned the closure of the steelworks at Redcar by splashing on the news yesterday.

As previously reported on HTFP, both newspapers have lobbied for the government to intervene and help thousands of people in the area affected by the crisis, caused by the liquidation of the plant’s Thai owner SSI.

It was further revealed on Monday that the steelworks’ coke ovens would close, irreparably damaging the chances to resume operations there.

The front page of yesterday’s Teesside Gazette

Chris Styles, editor of the Middlesbrough-based Gazette, said: “Steel-making is synonymous with Teesside and it is an industry which is in people’s hearts.

“The demise of the Redcar steelworks has been devastating and the speed with which the Official Receiver has decided it doesn’t have a future has come as a huge shock.

“The Gazette has long campaigned on steel through good times and bad. We are now involved in trying to get the very best future for the thousands of workers who have lost their livelihoods.

“They have given everything to the cause and deserve the same commitment from the Government to help them get a job elsewhere.”

Peter Barron, editor of the Darlington-based Echo, described the news as “gutting” on Twitter.

He further posted on the social networking site: “The end of steelmaking at Redcar.

“As the son of a Tees steelworker, I find it heartbreaking.”

The front page of yesterday’s Echo