AN axed radio presenter is set to sue his former BBC bosses for damages.

Lawyers are considering an action for damages following Alan Wright's "total and inexplicable surprise'' dismissal from BBC Radio Cleveland.

The 55-year-old was told within minutes of going off the air that his lunchtime programme was being scrapped and his freelance contract was not being renewed.

Journalists at BBC Radio Cleveland recently passed a vote of no confidence in station management over the decision to axe Mr Wright.

Although the vote was later withdrawn as a gesture of goodwill, the National Union of Journalists has engaged a firm of solicitors, specialists in industrial relations.

Mr Wright is meeting with them next week. All he would say yesterday was: "My union and their solicitors are involved in issues regarding termination and the damage to my professional reputation resulting from this episode, and I'll leave that to the experts."

He said he felt baffled, and a sadness that the situation he found himself in had come about.

His supporters include two MPs, Hartlepool's Peter Mandelson and Middlesbrough's Stuart Bell, and Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon.

Mark Turnbull, who used to produce the Alan Wright programme, has taken over the lunchtime show hot seat.

The BBC declined yesterday to add to an earlier announcement that managing editor Andrew Glover wanted to nurture in-house talent.

Mr Glover said in a reply e-mail to a group of listeners protesting at the Wright decision: "Sometimes change is necessary and Mark Turnbull, a formidable BBC staff journalist, with two decades working this patch under his belt, deserved the opportunity to present the lunchtime show, which suited his skills.

"It is unfortunate, but Alan Wright had to make way for Mark to be given that chance.''