Warburtons announced on Monday it was investing �6.5m on the former Rathbones site, in Yarm Road, Stockton. It is due to open in September.

The company bought the site in October last year and has carried out an almost total rebuild, including installing �4m of equipment.

Bolton-based Warburtons already has a bakery at Newburn, in Newcastle, and a depot in Carlisle.

It expects 20 existing employees to move from its 300-strong workforce Newcastle bakery to the new site, leaving 80 posts to fill.

The company is initially looking for van drivers, bakery team managers, night despatch operatives and an engineering manager.