A NORTH-EAST health and safety training company has created 10 new jobs.

World Class Safety, based in Stockton, offered workers – some with experience of the asbestos removal industry - free training and refresher courses which helped them get them back into employment.

The men have all been taken on by national asbestos removal firms and will pay for their training once they start work.

Richard Hoyle, 39, from Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, was out of work for more than a year before securing a job.

He said: “I am really grateful to World Class Safety for this opportunity, I knew if I had my training up to date I would be able to get work but you get caught in a catch-22 situation.

“It has been really difficult not working but everything is back on track think and it's brilliant they can provide this service to people like me.”

Chris Devlin, director of World Class Safety, said: “It can be a tricky situation when you work in a highly regulated environment where safety certificates have to be in place and kept up to date because if you can't afford the training it can leave you unable to apply for jobs.

“We managed to help these men and their new bosses know we supply excellent training, so we are delighted with the positive results for everyone involved.”

The company specialises in asbestos removal and training, but has also worked in the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Iceland and has experience of working on aluminium smelters, oil and gas refineries and chemical works.