ENGINEERING firm Cleveland Bridge last night claimed another legal victory in the ongoing financial battle with its former employer on the Wembley Stadium project.

The £750m stadium development's main contractor, Australian company Multiplex, was ordered by an independent adjudicator earlier this week to pay the Darlington-based firm £423,000.

And last night, Cleveland Bridge told of its delight at a further award of over £1.5m which has been announced.

The second award takes the total owed to the North-East firm to £1,950,980 - and further adjudications are understood to be nearing completion.

Another two are under consideration, with sources in the construction industry expecting the outcomes to be revealed on November 7.

Cleveland Bridge said last night that it was also likely further adjudications would be raised in the near future.

The first two announcements came about after Multiplex launched legal proceedings, claiming that it had overpaid Cleveland Bridge by £14m for work done at Wembley.

But the judgements have found the opposite - that Multiplex actually owes money to Cleveland Bridge.

A spokesman for Cleveland Bridge said yesterday: "The payment of the £1,950,980 owed to Cleveland Bridge is due on November 1. As Multiplex announced earlier this week that it is content with the adjudication process and accepted the award, we look forward to receiving payment on the due date."

Cleveland Bridge, which won a £60m contract to build the London venue's showpiece arch and roof, stopped work in August as the dispute intensified.

As a result, 95 jobs in Darlington had to be cut. More than 200 steelworkers at Wembley also lost their jobs but, after lengthy discussions involving their unions, were reinstated.

A spokesman for Multiplex said last night: "Multiplex's position is clear - Cleveland Bridge is no longer any part of the ongoing Wembley project, which will be completed on budget and on schedule.

"We have no comment on the adjudication matters other than to say we are satisfied with the result and that it deals with construction matters that are in the past and not the present."