NORTH-EAST fire chiefs are still in the dark about the arrival of life-saving equipment for use in a terrorist attack.

Government officials have admitted that problems delayed the roll-out of £56m worth of equipment, including decontamination units and gas tight protective suits.

The Northern Echo understands that equipment due to arrive by late spring has gone to big cities, including London, Manchester and Birmingham on a priority risk basis.

Equipment has yet to reach the five brigades in North Yorkshire and the North-East.

Iain Bathgate, assistant chief officer in charge of the Tyne and Wear fire service, said it was still not certain when the equipment would arrive.

He said existing decontamination equipment intended to wash down people exposed to chemical or other weapons was "not as efficient" and took longer to set up.

Tyne and Wear had just 50 extra gas tight suits to be used among firefighters but was hoping to purchase more with its own money, said Mr Bathgate.

Jim Bradley, Cleveland fire service's chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear implementation officer, said: "I understand that they are waiting for the vehicles to ship the decontamination units out and they are not there in sufficient numbers at the moment."

Redcar MP Vera Baird, whose constituency has among the highest concentration of chemical industry in Europe, said: "This equipment is essential and should be made available - quickly."

Under the Government's New Dimension programme, 190 decontamination units and 4,400 extra gas tight protective suits have been promised.

A spokeswoman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said: "It has taken a while to come into service but we are creating a long- term enhanced capability here and we have to make sure of its quality and reliability."