A NORTH-East insurance firm celebrating its 25th birthday is to change its name.

Teesside Insurance, which launched in December 1986, will be renamed Erimus Insurance Brokers on January 1.

The firm based at Riverside Park in Middlesbrough is one of only two UK Top 100 insurance brokers locally-owned in the North-East.

The company's directors said adopting the name Erimus - Middlesbrough's Latin motto, meaning "We shall be" - emphasises the fact that the business will not forget its Tees Valley roots.

Commercial director Paul Davison said: "The Erimus motto signified the determination of a town nicknamed the Infant Hercules by William Gladstone to grow and become great.

"We have similarly progressive aims for our business to ensure that we continue to develop throughout the ongoing difficult financial climate.

"Whilst our core values remain as strong as ever, we feel the time is right to adopt a new and modern identity."

Mr Davison and managing director Shaun Hughes completed a management buyout in 2010 to ensure the business remained independent.

"As the adoption of our new name suggests, we are proud to be a local business, Mr Davison added.

"We are committed to retaining our independence, which means that we will continue to employ local people, serve local businesses and contribute to the local economy."