O’s have made Shaun Batt their first new signing at the club, returning to Brisbane Road after a spell on loan last season.

Striker Shaun Batt has made the switch to Leyton Orient on a two-year deal.

Batt, who was released by Championship side Millwall at the end of last season, quickly arranged a deal with the O’s after Orient chairman Barry Hearn expressed an interest in the 26-year-old on Thursday over social networking side Twitter.

Batt enjoyed a successful spell on loan at Brisbane Road last season, netting three goals ina 13-game loan spell which was cut short to return to the New Den, scoring a further goal against play-off finalists Watford and also featured in their FA Cup semi-final defeat to eventual winners Wigan Athletic.

The former Peterborough United man will go straight into pre-season training with the O’s, and boss Russell Slade is pleased to have got the former loanee on a permanent basis.

He said: “We’re delighted to get Shaun signed up. He made a great impact when he came on loan with us and we wanted to keep him longer than we could do in the end.

“Shaun had attracted interest from the likes of Notts County and Preston so it’s great that we can get him on board.”

When Batt left Orient to go back to parent club Millwall, he had hoped to prove himself with the Championship outfit and earn a contract for the new season.

But despite the arrival of new boss Steve Lomas at the New Den, it appeared Batt’s future already lied elsewhere.

At the time of his return to Millwall, Batt said: “I definitely feel I’m in a much better condition after being out on loan.

“Hopefully I can come back and prove a point and have an impact in the squad. I had no idea I was coming back. I just had a voicemail saying I’d been recalled and to report to the training ground.

“It was good. It was what I needed. I had the long injury lay-off and getting back to match fitness has been difficult since.

“Being involved at Leyton Orient has really helped me putting confidence in my body – getting my fitness up. getting my match game up.”