WATCH: Cheers as Harland and Wolff workers return to work

by By Rebecca Black, PA and Gráinne Connolly, Q Radio

Harland and Wolff employees have returned to work after the sale of the closure-threatened shipyard.

There were cheers as the remaining staff walked through the gates in Belfast at 9am.

🎥 After 9 weeks of protesting and picketing at the gates, Harland and Wolff workers have gone back to work - happy and “rearing to go” as some have said. pic.twitter.com/MQrlRAODoB

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) October 3, 2019

It followed a nine-week campaign which saw a worker-led round-the-clock occupation of the historic site - where Titanic was built - after it was placed into administration over the summer.

Workers claimed victory earlier this week when it was announced that a buyer had been found.

Harland and Wolff has been bought for £6 million by InfraStrata, a London-based company that specialises in energy infrastructure projects.

Steel worker and GMB shop steward Barry Reid described Thursday morning at the shipyard gates as "the day we prayed would come".

"Everybody is ecstatic at what has happened, we believed in ourselves, we believed in the company, we have been proved right," he said. "It's a great day for the workers of Northern Ireland."

🎥 Harland and Wolff workers say they’re “elated” to get back into work this morning and do the job they’ve wanted to do for the past 9 weeks. Here’s Stephen Tarpy and Barry Reid - who are also sending out a message to workers at Wrightbus in Ballymena. pic.twitter.com/O0BhW7HfWf

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) October 3, 2019

Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Tony Lloyd and Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen were among a number of supporters who turned out.

🎥Tony Lloyd, Shadow Secretary of State for NI, was among those at Harland and Wolff this morning in support of workers going back to work. He said it’s a victory for Belfast and for Manufacturing in NI. pic.twitter.com/DZ3a06WN9p

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) October 3, 2019

Steel worker and Unite shop steward Joe Passmore addressed the workers briefly before they walked through the shipyard gates.

"What we have achieved has been historic," he said. "Every one of us needs to be extremely proud of ourselves.

"We can see what we are going to achieve when we go through there - it's going to set the world alight.

"It's the new Harland and Wolff, we're the community that is going to build that new Harland and Wolff, so believe in yourselves and be very proud of yourselves."

To cheers, he added: "Now, let's get back to work."