A GROUP of surfers yesterday attempted to deliver 50 limbless dolls to the company planning to dismantle condemned American warships.

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) claimed the dolls were symbolic of the harmful effects of PCB chemicals, which they allege the ships are carrying.

SAS claimed that PCBs could cause birth defects.

Along with local campaigners, they took part in a march at Able UK's headquarters in Billingham, to protest at plans to dismantle 13 former US Navy vessels at the company's Hartlepool yard.

As well as the dolls, they had surfboards and a giant inflatable toxic drum.

Richard Hardy, from SAS, said: "The dolls have child-like faces and make an emotive statement.

"We want to get our point across that these PCBs are harmful. Unfortunately, Able was not prepared to speak to us."

However, Peter Stephenson, managing director of Able UK, said that any claims about the levels of PCBs on board the vessels were wrong.

He said: "Of course, people are perfectly free to express their views on the project but I find it totally repugnant to have an organisation, which appears to have made no effort to check the real facts, effectively suggesting we are party to an operation which could threaten human health and cause birth defects.

"I want to make it absolutely clear this suggestion is completely, totally and utterly wrong.

"The facts are, these ships have no cargo. They do not carry any liquid PCBs.

"The only items they may contain are minute amounts of fixed PCB compounds that may be in plastics, seals and rubberised materials you would find on any old ship or building factory."

The first four of the 13 vessels have left their moorings on the James River in Virginia.

Two of them are expected to complete their 4,500 mile voyage to Teesside early next month.