A MOTHBALLED shipyard has announced it is back in business with plans to recruit almost 20 members of staff.

The Cammell Laird ship repair yard, on the banks of the River Tees at South Bank, has been silent since April last year, when the company went into liquidation.

New owners A&P Holdings announced last Friday that former director Derek Turk had been re-appointed and ship repair work at the yard would resume in September.

The Southampton-based repair and conversion firm - which bought the yard for an undisclosed sum last August - has twice been accused of asset stripping at the yard.

In November last year HGVs loaded with fork lift trucks and other welding equipment were seen leaving the site, believed to be heading to Chatham and Southampton, where A&P have other installations.

The company refuted the claims and says its promise to return any equipment to the site will now be fulfilled.

Eighteen local people will be recruited to work at the yard and the company will carry out an engineering survey to determine the state of the plant and equipment. Interviews are already underway for a yard manager.

A&P wants to attract a wide range of ship repair work and introduce a mobile team which will carry out work at sea.

Redcar MP Vera Baird met with A&P bosses recently to discuss the plans. She said: "A&P is very optimistic about the market and at least three ship owners are interested in placing their ship repair orders in South Bank.

"The hope is that the numbers employed will grow as the market develops and orders begin to flow into the yard.

"I am assured that all the equipment that was taken away from South Bank will now be taken back and used.

"The A&P directors have given me their personal assurances that they intend to recruit skilled people from Teesside to work in the South Bank yard and it is their intention to build a viable business that will utilise this valuable site to its full potential."