Judge conducts fact-finding mission at Wembley

The High Court judge in charge of the £50m legal battle between Wembley contractors Multiplex and Cleveland Bridge visited the site this week to assess the stadium.

Mr Justice Jackson was accompanied by representatives from main contractor Multiplex and Cleveland Bridge, the steel subcontractor that claims it was unfairly dismissed from the project. The visit marks the first return of Cleveland Bridge to the site since its departure in August 2004.

One Cleveland Bridge source said the judge had requested the presence of representatives who had no connections with the stadium so that he could carry out a fact-finding mission.

The source said: "The judge deliberately requested independent people so that they would not try to influence him. He has not been on a mission to find out about the case but has been trying to find out about the actual stadium itself."

A legal source close to the case said the visit was for the judge to "see what work Cleveland Bridge had carried out - namely the stadium's arch".

The hearing starts on 25 April.

It also emerged this week that Multiplex has brought back PC Harrington, the stadium's concrete contractor, to do remedial work on the stadium's sewers.

Building revealed last month that problems with the drainage system could lead to the stadium being flooded with sewage.

Multiplex has also asked Harrow pipework specialist Mosley Moling to check the extent of the problem.

A Multiplex spokesperson confirmed that remedial work was being carried out on the sewerage system, but denied that the work would cause excessive delays. He said: "Mosely is carrying out checks for us and PC Harrington has had to come back. But projects often have remedial works and we anticipated this. This work will be completed within our revised programme."

It is understood that the drainage system has bowed in four places.

A senior Football Association source said last month that heavy machinery on site may have affected the foundations.

Multiplex has refused to give details of its revised schedule since the FA's announcement last month that the FA Cup Final on 13 May would be held in Cardiff.

However, Multiplex has said that it still aims to finish the stadium by May.

PC Harrington was unavailable for comment.