A £42M investment that will see all of Middlesbrough connected to superfast broadband has been hailed by an MP as "levelling up in action".

CityFibre, the UK's third national digital infrastructure platform, is all set to replace Middlesbrough's legacy copper networks with full gigabit-capable fibre optic broadband.

The £42m project, due to commence in April 2021, will bring an end to the use of out-dated copper cable and provide gigabit connectivity to almost every home and business across the town.

The CityFibre plan will repurpose 60 to 70 per cent of existing infrastructure to minimise disruption and will see a Stockton-based local build partner take on the task of replacing the cables, creating up to 150 local new jobs.

Having met with Jason Legget and Jonathan Swarbrick from CityFibre via Microsoft Teams, Simon Clarke, Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, gave the scheme his full backing.

Mr Clarke said: "I had a really positive meeting with CityFibre on Tuesday to discuss their town-wide roll-out of gigabit broadband in Middlesbrough.

"This will be transformative for constituents and the work starts in April next year. As this year has shown, good internet access really is now the fourth utility.

"Well done to both them and Middlesbrough Council for leading this work - and to Boris Johnson for raising ambition with his pledge for nationwide coverage by 2025 - this is levelling up in action.

"I was joined by Stainton and Thornton Councillor David Coupe, who welcomed the fact the new network will cover the whole town, and end the situation whereby people on the outskirts of Middlesbrough miss out on decent broadband.

"City Fibre said that they are next focused on Redcar and Cleveland, and I was able to make the pitch that it is vitally important that rural areas benefit too."

Cllr Coupe added: "This is like three Christmases coming at once.

"With things as they stand, we have a situation where one street can have access to fast broadband while the next street along is stuck with out-of-date technology and slow speeds.

"This changes all that. The margin by which this investment will improve connectivity in Middlesbrough cannot be overstated - it's a game changer."

The Government has allocated £5bn to help subsidise the roll-out of superfast broadband in less commercially-viable areas of the country.