THE deal to save Corus Teesside Cast Products is not yet sealed, but everyone who has been involved in the fight to save the Redcar plant should take great heart from the positive comments made this week by Win Viriyaprapaikit.

We warmly welcome Mr Viriyaprapaikit to the North-East and wish him well as he works towards completing a deal which is of huge importance to Teesside and the wider North-East region.

He is clearly a man with traditional values and an appreciation of the passion shown for steelmaking on Teesside.

It is that passion, so clearly displayed when our steelworkers marched for their jobs, that connected with the president of Sahaviriya Steel Industries on the other side of the world.

That connection underlines the value of all those who stood up to fight for Teesside and they can take great pride in the knowledge that they have played a part in bringing a viable deal to the table.

We appear to be heading for some good news in the private sector to balance the inevitable hammer blow from public sector cuts.

And we hope that the coalition Government takes careful note of the crucial role that regional development agency One North East has played in supporting the local community and helping to find a way forward when all hope seemed lost.

That role is openly acknowledged by polticians, union officials and business leaders and it underlines why the North-East must retain a strategic regional body strong enough to fight our corner.