TRIBUTES have been paid to the three men killed in a blast at a North-East power station.

Andrew Sherwood, 36, and Darren Higgins, 28, died instantly in the explosion at the Enron power station, Wilton, Teesside, on Wednesday.

Lawrence Paul Surtees, 40, was taken to Middlesbrough General Hospital suffering from serious burns. He died on Thursday morning.

Another worker, father-of-two Graeme White, 37, from Billingham, remained in hospital yesterday, when his condition was described as comfortable.

Mr Higgins, of Normanby, near Middlesbrough, who was an operator technician, was described as a well-liked man, who loved riding his motorbike and diving in his spare time. He was single, but had a young son living in Poland.

His mother, Philomena, fought back tears last night as she told The Northern Echo that she struggled to accept he was dead.

She said: "All I can say is that he was such a lovely boy - everyone loved him dearly. All I want is to see my son standing before me."

Mr Surtees, an engineering and maintenance manager, from Hawthorne Village, County Durham, was divorced with a young daughter, believed to be aged ten.

His neighbour, David Howell, 61, said Mr Surtees was a loving father and pleasant neighbour.

Mr Sherwood, an operator technician from Hartlepool, had worked at the site since March 1999. It is believed he had lived with his long-term girlfriend for 11 years on the town's Clavering estate.

The power station has been taken offline while a joint investigation involving the company, the Health and Safety Executive and Cleveland Police is carried out.

The scene of the accident remained sealed off last night as the investigation continued. It is expected to last for several weeks