THE troubled construction group Costain won approval from its investors for a £73 million sterling rescue plan, which could hand effective control of the firm to a Malaysian company, at a shareholders meeting yesterday.

The company, which recently won the contract to build the controversial Newbury bypass, received the green light from more than three-quarters of shareholders who voted despite a protest mounted outside the meeting.

The company has launched an open offer for shares underwritten by Intria Berhad of Malaysia and by a consortium of the company's banks.