THE bitter stalemate involving the so-called "ghost ships" becomes more frustrating with every day that passes.

We all know that the region desperately needs jobs. Indeed, the local economy surrounding Hartlepool suffered another heavy blow yesterday when 320 jobs were lost at a ready-made meals factory.

It is an all too familiar story.

We are assured that the dismantling of the American ships - paving the way for more international scrapping contracts - would provide local jobs.

But there is an impasse because the Environment Agency remains concerned about the potential impact on wildlife at the internationally-important Seal Sands site nearby.

The jobs versus the environment dispute has been continuing since 2003 when the four ships were towed to Teesside from America.

The debate goes on and on, the rusting vessels are going nowhere, and it is anyone's guess how long it will be before there is a breakthrough.

Our view throughout this messy saga has been that the arguments should have taken place long before the ships left US waters.

Much as we want to see the North-East economy strengthened, and much as we want to see lost jobs replaced, environmental concerns have to be properly addressed.

Surely the relevant conditions should have been legally secured before the ships' controversial journey began.

The unseemly rush to bring the "ghost ships" across the Atlantic before those agreements had been reached, is looking increasingly ill-advised.