BUS company Arriva is to issue 500 free bus travel tickets in east Cleveland to help the area's unemployed travel to a job and skills opportunity day.

The tickets have been funded by the Government's Single Regeneration Budget to help boost attendance at the one-day Skills Village.

The event will be held at Redcar and Cleveland College on Wednesday and it is hoped more than 5,000 people will attend.

Free bus tickets are available from Loftus, Eston and Redcar Job Centres, Reed in Partnership, South Bank, The Wise Group and Positive People Development in Redcar and in Grangetown at the Frog office and the Linc Centre.

The Skills Village will be open from 10am to 6.30pm and features representatives from more than 110 organisations including the RAF, Transco and Hollywood Bowl.

Colleges, universities, chemical, engineering and construction companies, transport industry and training providers will also attend.

Graham Hubbard, Job Connect project officer, said: "Every resident in Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council area is invited. We want people to look at what's on offer and consider the possibility of training for a new career or get involved in the voluntary sector.

Funding for the tickets has come from three Single Regeneration Budget schemes managed by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.

The Skills Village has been set up by a number of agencies including the borough council, Job Connect and Learning and Skills Council. There will also be fun activities including paintballing, tenpin bowling, Indian head massage and manicures.