More than 500 new jobs are being created at a Sunderland call centre.

Barclays says the full and part-time jobs will take the number of staff at its Doxford Park centre to 1,800.

The company says the move follows a huge demand for telephone banking.

Wearside has been hit by about 900 job losses from the car parts and clothing sectors over the past year.

'Great news'

A spokesman for Barclays said: "The expansion comes to enable us to meet the sales and service levels our customers require.

A spokesman for Sunderland City Council said: "This is great news for Sunderland. We have seen a lot of jobs created at Doxford and we look forward to further expansion there."

The Barclays announcement is a boost for the area's booming call centre industry, which is now estimated to employ more than 30,000 people.

Call centre expansions have come from Airtours in North Shields and train operator GNER in Newcastle.

A recent survey from consultants Incomes Data Services, said steady growth in demand for 24-hour banking, would secure jobs at many call centre sites.