A RAY of hope emerged last night that troubled shipbuilder Cammell Laird may be bought within the next few weeks, safeguarding the jobs of about 170 workers in the North-East.

And there were hints that the company's yard on the Tees, closed last Friday with the loss of 110 jobs, may yet be brought out of mothballs.

Receivers PricewaterhouseCoopers revealed to unions they have received dozens of expressions of interest in the firm's yards at Redcar, Tyneside, and Birkenhead.

There is increasing confidence a sale can be achieved within the next two to three weeks.

Jimmy Skimington, regional organiser for the general workers' union, the GMB, for Durham and Tees, said there had been a very positive response from the receivers at the meeting in Merseyside.

They promised that the Redcar yard would not be closed, but mothballed on a care and maintenance basis in the hope that a buyer would be found.

Mr Skimington said: "We need to keep up political pressure to ensure that future Ministry of Defence contracts are placed with the yard."

The union is holding further talks with the receivers next week and is arranging a meeting with Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers.

Receivers announced last week that 320 jobs were to be cut at the three yards, including 110 on Teesside, 60 on Tyneside and 150 on Merseyside.

Forty stayed on at Teesside to complete the contract on the Crystal Ocean, which, if the yard shuts, could be the last ship fitted out on the river.

A delegation from the GMB and Amalgamated Electrical and Engineering Union lobbied the Northern Group of Labour MPs yesterday.

The MPs will now write to Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon to call for a commitment by the MoD to continue with a major refurbishment contract on the Fort George.

GMB official Tom Brennan said: "All we ask for is equal treatment with other yards."

In the Commons, Stephen Hepburn, Labour MP for Jarrow, told the Prime Minister: "City spivs must not get their hands on the yard, and sell it off to make yuppie homes for their friends."

Tony Blair said it was important that the shipyards could "compete on a fair basis" with other yards for future contracts.