ENGINEERING firm Cleveland Bridge could be vying for a lucrative contract at the scene of the world's worst civil nuclear catastrophe.

The North-East company is hoping to secure work at Chernobyl, where the Ukrainian government is planning to rebuild a huge cover over the infamous disaster site.

The plant achieved notoriety in April 1986 after one of its reactors exploded, unleashing 40 times the radioactivity of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War.

Thirty-one people died within three months, and unofficial figures suggest that between 15,000 and 30,000 have died since.

The explosion unleashed a nine-ton cloud of radioactive dust that billowed across Europe. The accident forced the evacuation of 135,000 people in a 20-mile radius.

Now, the £1bn Chernobyl Shelter Project is aiming to rebuild a dome that covers Reactor Four - the site of the disaster.

The UK is contributing more than £30m to the plans to create a new 20,000-ton steel shelter, which would contain the remains of the reactor for at least 100 years - and Cleveland Bridge is keen to be involved.

The company hopes to improve its fortunes after it was embroiled in a row over the new Wembley Stadium project.

The company, based in Darlington, built the new national stadium's showpiece arch before leaving the development after a bitter feud with main contractor Multiplex.

It is understood to be in the running for a contract at the Chernobyl plant, 80 miles north of Kiev.

The project, due to be completed in 2008, is critical.

The existing dome was hurriedly constructed in appalling conditions in the wake of the catastrophe and was only considered a temporary measure.

Its crumbling state leaves the risk of radioactive leaks a grave concern.

Cleveland Bridge managing director Brian Rogan told industry journal Construction News: "The plant is filled with concrete, but it is beginning to crumble. They want to put a giant cover over it.

"The arches supporting it will be the same size as the Wembley arch, but there will be 14 of them."

A company spokeswoman told The Northern Echo last night: "This is very speculative at the moment.

"The Ukrainian government has to do something to put on a cover roof, but there will be a tendering process and there are preferred bidders.

"Obviously, there are only a few companies which could handle steel like this and Cleveland Bridge is one of them."