A FORMER employee at a company which labelled itself the “phoenix from the ashes” of a collapsed steelworks is being investigated by police after an allegation that thousands of pounds were stolen, The Northern Echo can reveal.

Cleveland LGV Training, which trains people to drive light and heavy goods vehicles, was founded by Dan Wilcox in January 2016 just months after the closure of the SSI steelworks in Redcar.

The company, based at Skippers Lane Industrial Estate in Middlesbrough, was recording a turnover of almost £3m and was highlighted by many as a flagship success story following the end of steelmaking on Teesside.

A Cleveland Police spokesperson confirmed to The Northern Echo officers are investigating an allegation of “theft by an employee” at the company.

A spokesperson for Cleveland LGV Training Ltd, said: “Our business has been the victim of a theft.

"Cleveland Police have been diligent and thorough throughout their ongoing investigation. 

"We do not wish to add further comment, except to say we are well resourced, have a good pipeline of work and are grateful to our customers and suppliers who have been very supportive at this time.”

The firm has a fleet of about 30 trucks which are delivering goods across the UK, after starting out with just two HGVs.

Mr Wilcox spent four-and-a-half years as an LGV driver at SSI before the closure of the site was confirmed in October 2015.

He then decided to launch Cleveland LGV, with the help of the SSI Task Force, to create jobs for the redundant steel plant workers and to “give something back” to the area.

The company now has three parallel businesses covering HGV training, haulage and repairs.

It received £10,000 from the SSI Task Force, which was set up to support new business start-ups, growing businesses and provide help to companies in the SSI supply chain, as well as help workers and families affected by the plant’s closure.

The task force was launched in September 2015 and has gone on to support hundreds of new jobs, create dozens of business start-ups and ensure all 50 former SSI apprentices found training or employment.

Earlier this year, the company moved to larger premises, allowing it room for expansion in the future.

The expansion also included space for a permanent teaching room, after it won a new contract to take 90 people through its training programme.

More than 2,000 jobs were lost when SSI went into liquidation in 2015.

Last month, Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen unveiled a 25-year masterplan for the steelworks and surrounding areas, which he claimed could bring 20,000 jobs to the area, as well as add an additional £1bn per year to the local economy.