A LIGHTING firm’s North-East plant is likely to play a major role in illuminating a football club’s new £850m stadium, The Northern Echo can reveal.

The Zumtobel Group has confirmed its Thorn factory in Spennymoor, County Durham, is expected to support work on lighting for Tottenham Hotspur’s 61,559-capacity venue.

Zumtobel has been commissioned to design and develop lighting for the ground, with its brief covering player facilities, the stadium bowl, concourses and the arena’s grand façade.

The venue is expected to open next year, with Tottenham playing matches at Wembley as construction continues.

Speaking to the Echo last night from Zumtobel’s Austrian base, a spokesperson said bosses were still thrashing out product choices for the endeavour, but confirmed Spennymoor, where its Thorn brand provides work for hundreds, both directly and in the supply chain, would be very much on its radar.

She said: “We are proud to be the official lighting partner of Tottenham Hotspur.

“We are currently working on the specification of the lighting solution, therefore we do not yet know exactly which products will be used.

“But most likely a major part will be produced in our factory in Spennymoor.”

Paul Coggins, Zumtobel’s senior vice-president for Northern Europe, was similarly enthusiastic.

He added: “This project offers us the opportunity to take full advantage of our multi-brand strategy and demonstrate our expertise in the development of innovative lighting for large-scale venues.”

Late in 2015, Thorn revealed it was creating new posts after demand for LED lights, and the closure of a Swedish factory, led to a boom at its Spennymoor base.

The firm is known for supplying local authorities, from Scotland to the South Coast of England, and provides street lighting for cities, including Oslo and Copenhagen.

One of its most eye-catching deals was to replace lighting on the Wembley Stadium arch with an LED system designed for full colour, as well as special moving light effects.

Durham County Council previously fitted thousands of Thorn’s LED street lights across the county.

Zumtobel also runs its Tridonic brand out of a base in Spennymoor, which bosses say focuses on delivering smart and efficient lighting solutions.