AN international engineering firm, which employs hundreds of North-East workers, has secured two major deals.

Amec, whose European headquarters are in Darlington, has been awarded a five-year £255m deal by the Kuwait Oil Company to provide project management and consultancy services in the Asian country.

The contract follows Amec's work on two previous five-year contracts, held since 2004.

Bosses say a 250-strong team of engineers in Kuwait and workers from London will carry out the project.

Amec's Aberdeen office has also secured a six-year North Sea contract with Nexen Petroleum to provide engineering and construction services for Nexen's North Sea offshore assets.

The company employs about 420 workers at Lingfield Point, in Darlington, with its engineering division offering technical support to clients across the world.

Its North-East base also manages recruitment for the group's European operations and handles support services.