WATCH: Administrators' visit to Belfast shipyard delayed 'due to public pressure'

By Rebecca Black, PA

An additional five days has been made available to save an under-threat Belfast shipyard following the delay of a visit by administrators.

Harland and Wolff staff have been protesting at the main gate to the historic shipyard, where the ill-fated liner Titanic was built, since Monday afternoon.

Administrators were due to visit on Wednesday if no other solution had been found to save it.

However, shipyard worker Paul Beattie told a rally at the gates that management of the company had told him the visit of the administrators has been put back to next Monday.

BREAKING: Harland and Wolff worker and GMB Union member Paul Beattie says a visit from administrators has been put off until Monday: pic.twitter.com/oXvIJ1IFkX

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 30, 2019

He thanked the crowds of workers, union members and shipyard supporters for their backing, claiming the public pressure had helped "stave off" the visit of the administrators.

Workers have maintained a demonstration at the gates of Harland and Wolff since Monday afternoon.

They have called for the government to nationalise the shipyard.

Harland and Wolff worker and GMB Union member Paul Beattie says administrators have delayed a visit by 4 days following industrial action. He says the extra time will be ‘critical’. @qnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/Heh0iHbvk0

— Chloe St John (@chloestjohn) July 30, 2019

Bob Gunn from GMB trade Union is a former shipyard worker. He says he protested with the banner ‘Save Our Shipyard’ 37 years ago, and feels a sense of deja-vu: pic.twitter.com/qZGK5YL8Mw

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 30, 2019

Meanwhile, political representatives have also been showing their support to workers at Harland and Wolff: 

Secretary of the Labour Party in Northern Ireland, Boyd Black, says new PM Boris Johnson needs to ‘lead from the top’ and save Harland and Wolff Shipping Yard: pic.twitter.com/KOUIHUXp8Q

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 30, 2019

East Belfast MLA Andy Allen says there’s still time to save Harland and Wolff Shipyard. He calls on new PM Boris Johnson to step in: pic.twitter.com/C0GITM3EMn

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 30, 2019

In a statement on Tuesday, the UK Government said the crisis at the shipyard is "ultimately a commercial issue".

The Harland and Wolff yard, which helped define the city's industrial past, has been up for sale amid serious financial problems at its Norwegian parent company.

The yard employs around 130 people and works on wind energy and marine engineering projects.

Its two huge cranes dominate the east Belfast skyline but its peak period as an employment powerhouse was during the Second World War.

The last ship built there was the Anvil Point in 2003.