UP to half of Corus workers in the North-East could lose their jobs this week, with an announcement on the company's future expected in the next few days.

A statement by the Anglo-Dutch group is expected on Wednesday, when chairman Sir Brian Moffatt will reveal what the "major restructuring" he spoke of in December will mean for the former British Steel.

More than 3,500 people are employed at Redcar and as many as half of these jobs could go along with the suspected end of steelmaking in Llanwern in South Wales.

On Wednesday, when the announcement is expected, Ashok Kumar, South and East Cleveland MP, will urge Corus at a special Westminster debate to spare the region from the expected huge wave of redundancies.

The only Corus plant expected to escape cuts is the Avesta stainless steel joint venture in Sheffield.