THOUSANDS of steelworkers vowed to fight to the bitter end last night as the Government deadline looked set to expire with no reprieve for 6,000 jobs.

Ministers and unions were bracing themselves for bad news today as Corus bosses gave no sign of reconsidering their plans.

Unless there is a last-minute change of heart, the group is poised to ignore the pleas of Prime Minister Tony Blair, Trade Secretary Stephen Byers, and thousands of ordinary people.

The Northern Echo and The Evening Gazette in Middlesbrough have drawn up a dossier backing the steel workers' cause as part of a joint campaign to save more than 1,000 jobs on Teesside.

Thousands of people have signed coupons urging Corus chairman Sir Brian Moffat to think again.

Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo, said: "It is vital that Corus understands the strength of the message coming from the North-East and realises that there is still time to turn back from a decision which will shatter many lives in the region."

Paul Robertson, editor of the Evening Gazette, said: "We hope Corus will listen to what we have been saying. The response from the community at large has been fantastic."

Teesside steelworker Mat-thew Lodge, his wife Dorothy and children Lucy and Matthew will hand over the dossier today to Corus executives at the company's London head office.

Union leaders will arrive at the same offices later for last-ditch talks with Corus after spending the last two weeks drawing up a detailed rescue package.

Tony Poynter, chairman of the multi union steel committee at Teesside, said he was hopeful he had a good case for Teesside and gave the package a 50-50 chance of success.

Although details of the package are a closely-guarded secret, the key element involves keeping the threatened coil plate mill open for another year. This would involve running the mill at night when electricity is cheap.

Unions believe a 12-month stay of execution would help the euro recover further against the pound - reducing the differential between steel products in the UK and Europe.

They also believe Corus's transport costs will increase if the cuts go ahead because some steel products will have to be taken from the North East to Llanwern in South Wales, instead of being "rolled" at another factory on Teesside.

"It is the economics of the madhouse," said a union spokesman.

Last night, Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers appealed to the company to think again and develop a new strategy.

He said: "We think there is a better way forward and we hope that even at this late stage Corus will reconsider the position they have adopted."

Redcar MP Mo Mowlam said: "Corus should use this opportunity to do what everyone in Redcar wants them to do - think again. Think again about the future of Teesside people and steel.

"It is my hope that the loyalty of the workforce will be properly recognised, and that the unions' case will yield positive results."

Stockton South MP Dari Taylor said she hoped Sir Brian would have the good business sense and humanity to listen to the unions.

She urged him to protect and maintain steel production in Teesside.

But she added: "My fear is that he will remain stone-deaf to the good sense of the business case being put forward by the trade union movement."

Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said: "The onus is now on Corus management not to betray their responsibility.

"The people of Teesside in the steel communities have made great sacrifices. They should not be repaid by being sent to the dole queues."

Sir Brian is expected to come under heavy fire this afternoon over the company's handling of the crisis when he faces a grilling from MPs on the Trade and Industry Select Committee