A PROTEST meeting will be held today by surfers opposed to the US Ghost Fleet project.

Members of Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) are planning to march on Able UK to protest against plans to dismantle 13 former US navy vessels at its Hartlepool yard.

The surfers say the £11m decommissioning contract could have a serious impact on recreational water-users in the area.

Nick Noble, who uses the stretch of the east Cleveland coastline at Saltburn, said no amount of jobs could compensate for the potential dangers posed by the toxic ships.

But Able managing director Peter Stephenson, who yesterday rounded on politicians and campaign groups opposed to the deal, said the company has taken steps to ensure the environment is properly protected.

He said: "These vessels have been subjected to far more stringent checks by far more agencies than probably any other ships that have come into the Tees."

The first four of the 13 vessels - contaminated with asbestos, heavy diesel and PCB chemicals - have left their moorings on the James River, in Virginia.

Two of them are expected to have completed their 4,500-mile voyage to Teesside by November 5 when work will start to dismantle them, eventually creating 200 jobs.

Campaigners fear the ships, some of which are 50 years old, could break up during the journey or when they are being dismantled at the Graythorp yard.

Meanwhile, the Government was last night accused of continuing to take no action to protect British waters from the ships.

In response to a Parliamentary Question from Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Norman Baker, a Department for Transport spokesman admitted the fleet could be re-routed for safety or environmental reasons.

Mr Baker said: "Once again, Government inaction is costing the environment dearly."