FRIENDLIER relations between Britain and Libya could mean a jobs boom for the North, it is being forecast.

US sanctions lifted in response to Colonel Gaddafi's agreement to dismantle weapons of mass destruction and offer compensation to victims of the Lockerbie air disaster has led to oil companies opening negotiations with Libya to resume suspended operations.

Wolviston Management Services managing director Robin Davison said: "We have people flying out on Monday - it is going to mean quite a lot of business for the North-East, one of the specialist areas providing good personnel for the oil industry."

Wolviston, of Stockton, is an international project management and specialist agency.

The company has just signed an £8m annual contract with an international oil company, which is not being named, and has vacancies for 35 skilled workers and is anticipating recruiting more as the lifting of sanctions triggers more lucrative oil well contracts.

"We are well aware of the opportunities in Libya and are extremely well placed to take advantage of the creation of what many people anticipate will be a rush of new energy deals," said Mr Davison.

"The North-East has had so much bad news with closures. We have had Siemens, Fujitsu and more recently, Samsung - it is nice to have a success.

"We are recruiting people and they are very keen to go."

"Wolviston has the data-base of skilled people in all areas of construction and engineering to handle whatever specialist work is needed."

Mr Davison said he also hoped Wolviston would have a part to play in the rebuilding of Iraq.