BP is hiring more than 500 workers on short-term contracts for a major construction project in the North Sea.

All 534 temporary jobs, which are expected to last five months, are part of the Clair Ridge project.

BP shed 600 permanent jobs earlier this year, then around 20% of its total North Sea workforce.

The oil giant made another 300 workers redundant in 2015, among more than 70,000 who have lost their jobs in the UK since the oil downturn began to bite in early 2014.

The value of a barrel of oil has risen to around $50 in recent weeks from a low of $30 earlier this year.

The workers are being recruited on BP's behalf by Amec Foster Wheeler.

Head of HR Bruce Christie said: "Amec Foster Wheeler is delighted to have supported BP on the Clair Ridge project since 2011.

"The scale of Clair Ridge shows the North Sea is still an attractive market with a sustainable future and the creation of 534 jobs to complete this project is great news for the industry."

Meanwhile, Aberdeen firm Return to Scene (R2S) has been bought out of administration by James Fisher Holdings.

Administrators KPMG said the move would safeguard the majority of jobs at R2S, which builds virtual photographic models of offshore installations.