A WORLD famous engineering company based in the North-East is helping to clear up the aftermath of the terrorist atrocities in America.

Four Australian-born engineers from Cleveland Bridge of Darlington, County Dur-ham, are putting their specialist skills to the test at the desolate Ground Zero, in New York.

The engineers flew out to America three weeks after the terror attacks on the World Trade Centre on September 11.

They are using specialist equipment to repair a 25 metre high slurry wall, which was damaged in the attack and was used to protect the building from underground flooding.

Tony Rae, Cleveland Bridge's chief executive, who has seen the destruction at the site several times, said: "It is an eerie feeling working on it because you realise how many people were killed, and so the work is done with a great deal of respect.

"The New Yorkers have bounced back and the tragedy has really pulled people together. We are really quite proud to be working on the building."

Work to repair the slurry wall is painstakingly slow because of the precarious state of the building and could take more than a year.

The company has been strengthening the groundwork using access systems such as scaffolding and rock anchors, where holes are drilled in the rock and they are tied back in a stable position.

It is not the only high-profile contract the successful company has won. In a joint venture with Balfour Beatty Power Networks, of Derby, Cleveland Bridge has secured a contract worth £11.96m to help China extend its power supply network.

The design of the two towers for the East China Electric Power Group Corporation will be carried out in Darlington with fabrication work completed by sub-contractors in China.

Another of Cleveland Bridge's major contracts this year has been to repair the Millennium Bridge, in London, and the recently won £20m contract to build the superstructure to help bridge the Corinth Sea between Patras and mainland Greece.

"The company is continuing its presence as an international force - and there's more work on the horizon," said Mr Rae.