ONLINE bingo firm Tombola is to invest £1m in an overhaul its Sunderland office.

Having taken ownership of the entire five-storey Wylam Wharf building on Sunderland's riverside two years ago, after being a tenant for 16 years, Tombola is now embarking on an plan to refurbish the building. The company employs about 55 staff.

Included in the renovation will be a top floor staff gymnasium, a new glass floor-to-roof stairwell, new shower and toilet facilities on each floor and coloured walls designed specifically for each of the departments within the company.

Tombola has also hired a full-time chef to create lunch dishes, snacks and drinks for staff and visitors in a new ground floor café and meeting area.

Tombola's operations manager Susanne Kennedy, said: "This is a really exciting new identity for Tombola. We love working in Wylam Wharf, its steeped in history, has character and has amazing views of the River Wear. We just couldn't find anything that compared to what we had already.

Once complete, the new office will be a fun, creative and inclusive place to work and will offer a statement that we are so very proud of our roots right here in Sunderland."

It is expected the refurbishments will be complete early next year.