A SPECIALIST earthworks company has collapsed with the expected loss of more than 100 North-East jobs.

Just months after moving into premises in Peterlee, County Durham, Greenfield Excavations closed for business and went into receivership last week.

It is understood the earthworks contractor has offered redundancy packages to its workforce of about 110 at the premises on the South-West Industrial Estate.

Recovery and insolvency company Poppleton and Appleby has appointed expert Jeremy Priestley to handle the receivership.

He aims to realise the best sum possible from the sale of Greenfield assets to pay off some of the company's creditors.

A spokesman for the Sheffield firm said: "The company ceased trading last week and the assets will now be disposed of. They will be sold off and any creditors paid with the money raised."

Greenfield was set up in Cornsay, north-west Durham, as a bulk earthworking contractor, in July 1987.

It expanded to win contracts both in the North-East and beyond, and, with a reported turnover of £9m, moved into its Peterlee premises, as part of long-term growth plans, in January.

East Durham Development Agency, which supported the transfer on to the South-West Industrial Estate site, was shocked at the news of Greenfield's demise.

Agency chief executive Ken Greenfield said: "It's a big loss and we feel great sadness for the company, employees and the district."