UP to 200 jobs are to be created in the region thanks to a contract to help build part of the new Wembley Stadium.

CBL Contractors in Hartlepool has been awarded work to fit the main cabling, terminations and electrical installations in the 90,000-seater stadium.

The company has also secured work on ships at Swan Hunter, in Wallsend, North Tyneside, and the BAE Systems Yard, at Govan, Glasgow.

The work, on the Royal Navy vessels Largs Bay and Mounts Bay, involves the installation of cabling and terminations.

It is expected the value of the Wembley project will be about £10m. Work is expected to start soon.

Company operations manager Alf Haygarth said: "We envisage employing some 200 people during the two years construction period, which is great news for the people of Hartlepool.

"It has secured employment for the people of this town and that is excellent."

The Largs Bay amphibious landing craft made history last summer when it became the first ship to be built on the Tyne for almost a decade.

The Swan Hunter shipyard completed work on the 22,000-tonne Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship after securing the £140m Ministry of Defence contract in 2000.

CBL asked to work on the cable and wiring systems following its assembly on the Tyne.