THE devastating prospect of job losses facing staff at Corus steel works in Redcar has been softened with news that 120 jobs have been saved.

A last minute deal has been struck to protect the jobs in the South Bank coke works for three years.

This afternoon, union bosses brokered the deal with the company to supply coke to other steel plants in the region and across the country.

The news has been welcomed by Geoff Waterfield, the chairman of the Multi-Union Works Committee.

He said: "This is great news for the families of the people who work in the coke works. The deal should keep them in work for at least three years and hopefully shows the plant has a future."