A CALL centre operator hopes to create 500 further jobs with a new outpost on Teesside.

Nvisage, which deals with gas and electricity bill and metering inquiries for its sister company npower, is already recruiting as part of a 500-job expansion of its call centre in Peterlee, County Durham.

Last night, the company confirmed plans to sign up another 500 staff over the next year to 18 months at a call centre at Trenchard Avenue, Thornaby.

Tees Valley Development Company chairman Bob Gibson, said: "This is a very significant development for the area and further proof the Tees Valley is now seen as a major centre for call centre operations.

"The company has already started its recruitment programme."

But a note of caution was sounded by Stella Guy, regional secretary for the Transport and General Workers' Union.

"Any jobs are always welcome," she said. "The problem is that you are talking about fairly low-skilled, fairly low waged jobs.

"If the region is to grow as an economy, we can't live on service and finance sector jobs - you need manufacturing."