The four ships are docked at Able UK's Hartlepool yard

Four of the US-naval ships are being stored at Able UK's Greythorpe yard, in Hartlepool, after arriving late last year.

A decision about whether the company can carry out work to dismantle the ships is yet to be made.

Able UK, has a �10m contract to break up the vessels, but has run into problems over planning consent and waste-management licences.

The company chairman Peter Stephenson says the impasse means the company is currently losing more than �370,000 a week.

Environmental fears

He said: "It is hitting us very hard. We still have a large financial bond tied up in the contract.

"We also have got 20-odd people we started last year we have taken on for the contract.

"We are also waiting to take on a further 180 people this year, so it is bad for the area that people can't take up these jobs."

The ships are up to 60 years old and are said to contain a range of toxic materials, including lead, mercury, asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Conservationists fear nearby wildlife sites are threatened by possible leaks.