A FACTORY owner announced plans yesterday to expand his floor space, double his workforce and build a hangar for his helicopter.

Ashley Renham, whose company makes plastic containers and components, aims to achieve all three targets within the next 12 months at Middleton-in-Teesdale, in County Durham.

He had only one employee when he started in a small unit in the village in 1986, but now has 35 people on his payroll and six units. He is to add another 10,000sq ft and employ 35 extra workers.

Mr Renham held a private pilot's licence before learning to fly helicopters in a three-week intensive course.

He paid £130,000 for an ex-Royal Navy Gazelle helicopter in which he flies all over the UK to meets clients, visit other factories and collect supplies.

He said: "I hope to buy a small farm with space to build a hangar for it, or with a large barn which can be converted into a hangar. Then I will save even more time."

After revealing his latest plans, Mr Renham flew to Knowle, in Shropshire, to collect two items.

The journey took just over an hour compared with four hours by road.

He said: "I really love flying it and it's wonderful that I can do it as part of my business."

His firm retains the name Renham and Wade, though his partner with that surname left many years ago.

Mr Renham has recently taken on a joint managing director, Kevin Maw, to help with the latest expansion.

The firm supplies medical containers to GlaxoSmith-Kline, in Barnard Castle, as well as other pharmaceutical firms and a range of other industries