RELATIONS between Cleveland Bridge and the main contractor for the new Wembley Stadium deteriorated further last night.

Australian company Multiplex has said it was not responsible for the Darlington company pulling out of the showpiece £757m project.

Cleveland Bridge had announced a few weeks ago that it was walking away from the project and taking legal action against Multiplex, saying it was owed money for work done.

Officials from the GMB and Amicus unions had been trying to bring about a reconciliation and were fighting to save the jobs of 95 workers due to be made redundant.

But in a letter to union officials, Multiplex chairman Noel Henderson said no resolution would be possible in the current climate. He said he was not convinced that the uncertain future of Cleveland Bridge and Multiplex's contractual disagreements with the company were linked.

Mr Henderson also said Cleveland Bridge had embarked on an aggressive media policy and that the company, to date, had chosen to blame everyone but itself.

He said that no legal action had yet been launched or the details of what the company was claiming revealed.

Gerry Hunter, of Amicus, said: "What has happened between the two of them is disappointing."

Last night, Cleveland Bridge declined to comment.