A 24-hour supermarket in Durham yesterday celebrated an expansion that has created 150 full and part-time jobs.

The Tesco Extra store, at Dragonville, opened four years ago, recruiting many local unemployed people. It now has 600 staff.

The original 60,000sq ft store has been expanded to 105,000sq ft, including a 15,000sq ft mezzanine floor.

To mark the occasion, Tesco donated £1,000 to the county's Positive Futures project, which uses sport to try to raise the aspirations of disadvantaged and vulnerable youngsters.

Pupils from Durham Gilesgate Sports College opened the travellator and headteacher Mike Brett accepted the cheque for the Positive Futures project from store manager Trevor Howe.

Mr Howe said the company wanted to give something back to the community.

He added: "My staff have done a great job all the way through to get us to where we are now.''