REDUNDANT Corus workers on Teesside will get help finding jobs through a £1.8m grant from the European Social Fund.

The money has been granted to Steel Partnership Training Ltd, an organisation set up by the unions to help those made redundant get back into work. The scheme will benefit more than 1,100 steelworkers on Teesside.

Yesterday, Nick Brown, Minister for Work, said: "As part of the Government's package to help the areas hit by Corus redundancies, we have been working with the Corus unions to bid for European funding support for a programme of advice, skills analysis and retraining.

He said: "I am very pleased to announce that the main bid for England has been successful.

"This £1.8m will help Corus workers get new jobs quickly. This matches a similar amount provided by the Government and Corus."

The news was welcomed by union leaders on Teesside.

Tony Poynter, chairman of the multi-union steel committee on Teesside, said the scheme was part of a package announced on May 3 to help the beleaguered steel workers.

He said that workers from the coil plate mill, which ended production last week, would leave the mill for the last time this weekend and could benefit from this scheme.

He said: "It is something we have been waiting for and it is a good move from our point of view. Let's hope the coil plate mill workers can quickly pick up this package if they are looking for retraining."

Read more about the Fight for Steel jobs campaign here.