Corus has already announced 12,000 job losses in the UK

The future of the Corus plant, which employs almost 3,000 people, is uncertain after the company said it no longer required the slab steel it makes.

The company, formed by the 1999 merger of Dutch Hoogovens and British Steel, has already announced it plans to axe 12,000 jobs.

The Teesside operation makes raw steel in slab form for processing into finished products in other plants.

A task force set up to try to save the plant says it is to commission a feasibility study which will look into options for the plant and its workforce.

The announcement follows a so-called "steel summit" held on Teesside in May, which included contributions from unions, local authorities and business leaders.

'More focussed'

The task force has pledged to work with Corus to secure steel manufacturing at the Redcar site for the foreseeable future.

Dr John Bridge, chair of the Corus task force said, "The discussions so far have been productive.

"There are no quick-fix answers to this problem, but we now have clearer and more focused long-term aims that we firmly believe can result in positive outcomes for Tees Valley and the North East.

"It is hoped that initial phases of the work agreed up to now will be completed by September of this year."

The task force is developing a business plan for the plant's survival and also looking at releasing surplus land close to the site.