Camerons Brewery is set for a huge expansion of its pub franchise, with plans to buy nearly 200 pubs in the next two years.

The Hartlepool-based brewery, which owns nine outlets, said it was scouring the region for suitable sites.

About 30 pubs were sold off by the group two years ago, in an effort to consolidate the business following the acquisition of the company by Castle Eden brewery.

However, Camerons chairman David Soley said the time was now right for a major expansion of the historic brewers' pub-owning arm.

Mr Soley said: "The plan is to increase the number of pubs to 200 in the next couple of years. Although in recent years breweries have been selling off much of their pub business to the major pub companies, we are hoping to buck that trend.

"We feel that increasing the number of Camerons outlets will also provide us with the perfect venue to promote our brand."

Camerons, which recently bought an outlet in Cumbria, said it was interested in sites as far north as the Scottish Borders, and as far south as Yorkshire.

It said it was looking for pubs with a minimum turnover of 300 barrels a year - one barrel is equivalent to 288 pints of beer.

Camerons produces traditional brands including Camerons Strongarm and Creamy bitters, Scorpion lager and Castle Eden Ale, Trophy Special, Best Scotch and Nimmo's XXXX. The brewery also makes popular lager Kronenburg 1664 on behalf of Scottish and Newcastle.

The brewer unveiled a £700,000 heritage centre at its Hartlepool brewery earlier this week, which was opened by North-East entrepreneur Sir John Hall.

Mr Soley said the historic site, which stands 250ft above a natural well used for brewing since at least 1572, could accommodate a growth in production.

"Even though this is an old brewery, it is easily capable of seeing a doubling in production," he said. "We are definitely optimistic about the future here."

Camerons employs about 110 people at the plant. However, it was forced to make 19 staff redundant last year after losing a major distribution contract with former owners Wolverhampton and Dudley.

Camerons marketing director Mike Berriman said the pub acquisitions would help showcase the brewer as a North-East brand.

Mr Berriman said: "The new pubs will act as a shop window, if you like, for all of our products. They will help to reinforce the firm's strong regional identity."

The Camerons brand came into existence in 1865 when John William Cameron took over the lease of the Hartlepool site, originally the Lion Brewery, following the death of William Waldon.

The business was subsequently sold off but regained its independence in 2002 when Camerons Brewery Ltd was formed.