A hundred jobs are being created in the region with the opening of an Asda Living store.

The supermarket group is opening the 30,000 sq ft non-food store, which will sell its George range of clothing, as well as homeware, toys and electrical appliances, at the Arnison Centre, close to Durham City.

The move has created full and part-time vacancies for about 100 retail staff.

The new lifestyle outlet, which is one of ten being launched at out-of-town shopping sites across Britain this year, is due to open on October 22.

Jim Prescott, Asda Living store manager, said: "This is an exciting new project for Asda Living."

The Arnison retail centre, at Pity Me, is already home to a number of major high street names, including Sainsbury's, JJB Sports, Boots, Halfords, Marks & Spencer and Next.

The first Asda Living store opened on a 34,000sq ft site in Walsall in 2004, and the company is now hoping to expand.

In February, Asda announced plans to open ten Living stores over the course of the year, each employing at least 100 staff.

In May, chief executive Andy Bond was reported as saying: "We have other avenues of growth, such as Asda Living, which we will expand very rapidly now.

"There are probably 300 locations where you could have an Asda Living store."

The expansion of the brand forms part of wider plans to open 18 food stores, including an eco-friendly branch, and extend 15 existing sites this year.

Asda, which is owned by Wal-Mart, has a Living store at the Newcastle Shopping Park, in Byker.