Chey Garland said the jobs are a great boost for Teesside

Internet service provider Freeserve is expanding operations in Middlesbrough and recruitment is already under way.

The new jobs will focus on Freeserve's Broadband products and will be based at the centre operated by locally-based company Garlands.

The recruitment comes as a welcome boost to Teesside which has seen recent job losses at the Samsung factory, near Billingham.

The new jobs will include positions at team leader, customer service representative and customer sales representative levels.

'Great news'

Garlands, which employs 2,000 people, is the second largest private company in the Tees Valley and has two sites at Hartlepool, as well as the centre in Middlesbrough.

Chey Garland, chief executive of Garlands Call Centres, said: "We welcome Freeserve's decision to expand its operations with Garlands and congratulations must go to everyone that has worked so hard to make the operation a success.

"It's great news that Freeserve has decided to extend its investment in the Tees Valley region.

"It will create valuable new career and new part-time opportunities for local people and we welcome applications from candidates who are looking to develop their careers in the contact centre industry."