A RAPIDLY-GROWING company that cleans up after England's elite footballers has started the first wave of a major expansion by announcing plans to fill 80 jobs.

MJF Cleaning Services, in Darlington, says it wants to create about 400 posts during the next five years, and extend operations into the North West.

The firm, founded just seven years ago by domestic window cleaner, Martin Ferguson, already cleans steel structures at the Football Association's £105m St George's Park training base, in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, and recently expanded its Darlington headquarters to house its 125-strong workforce.

Mr Ferguson, MJF managing director, says the firm, which has cleaning contracts with Rockliffe Hall, in Hurworth, near Darlington, and Middlesbrough's Cleveland Cable, was committed to opening a new office near the M62 next year.

He said: “Our biggest investment will always be in our staff, who are all local, as they are the most important part of what we do and keep our business growing.

“The offices needed changing as we have more staff than we anticipated at this stage in our development, and coupled with our marketing investment, will be essential if we want to attract new contracts and compete nationally.”