A giant steel tube maker has been opened on Tyneside, securing more than 150 jobs and millions of pounds of investment.

The 'Vertical Helix Assembly Machine' builds cables that are up to 60km long, and can extract oil from the bottom of the sea.

It is the only machine of its type in the world. The manufacturers had to build one of Europe's biggest single-storey buildings in Newcastle to accommodate it.

Businessmen at the launch said it helps continue the redevelopment of the Tyne, after the end of shipbuilding more than 20 years ago.

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