A DEAL to secure hundreds of North-East energy jobs could be signed within days, according to sources at troubled US energy company Enron.

More than 900 workers on Teesside endured an uncertain weekend after the group collapsed with debts of more than £8bn.

On Friday, accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), appointed as administrators to Enron's European holding company, announced that 1,100 staff had been made redundant across the UK.

PwC was appointed on Thursday as Enron Europe's US parent, based in Houston, Texas, was pushed to the brink of bankruptcy.

A smaller rival, Dynegy, pulled out of a merger valued at about £6.7bn following concern over Enron's debts.

The ownership of Enron's Teesside power business - at the old ICI Wilton site - is split between the US company, Midlands Electricity, Northern Electric and Western Power Distribution.

Analysts reckon the division could be worth as much as £500m and the three British partners will have first refusal if the assets are sold.

Bidders were said to be circling the power business - which is in robust health - over the weekend.

Some have also expressed interest in Enron Direct, the business that sells power to 150,000 small and medium-sized businesses, and employs 100 people on Teesside. Up to eight bidders are believed to be interested in the company.

Groups that could be interested in both arms of the Enron empire are said to include Innogy, Powergen and EdF.

Last night, sources close to the negotiations indicated that a deal could be signed within days. They added: "All eight bidders looking at Enron Direct are blue chip companies and could do a deal very quickly."

Privately, management at Enron's Teesside operations are confident the power generating business, which operates Europe's biggest gas- fired power station, will emerge from the crisis pretty much unscathed.