A UTILITIES firm says it has secured hundreds of North-East jobs with £270m water work.

The Fastflow Group, which has headquarters in Washington, Wearside, says it has increased water network contracts by 50 per cent.

It revealed the projects, worth up to £270m over the next nine years, will see it deliver system improvements, install meters, and carry out repairs and maintenance for Northumbrian Water.

Further work will come from improvements for Essex and Suffolk Water, which is part of the Northumbrian Water Group.

The firm said the deal represents more than 80 per cent of the contracts awarded by Northumbrian Water and secures 220 jobs people at Washington, with new jobs expected in the New Year for work in the South.

Neil Armstrong, chief executive, who acquired Fastflow from Northumbrian Water in 2005, said: “This is fantastic news at the end of an extremely busy and successful year for the group.

“We have won this work against stiff opposition from major players in the construction and infrastructure sector and I believe this is because of the value and quality of services we offer.”

John Devall, Northumbrian Water’s water director, added: “We are determined to maintain and improve the extremely high water quality and levels of services we deliver and these contracts will help us achieve our leading targets.”

The Fastflow Group also includes its Energy Services division, which previously secured a deal with National Grid.

The firm said it was one of only five contractors to win a place on the grid’s five-year asset framework, having already been selected to carry out upgrades and diversions on gas services and security improvements on gas and electricity sites.