A company which operates dozens of care homes across the North-East and Yorkshire has recruited 28 nurses from South Africa.

Four Seasons Health Care said the move was due to an acknowledged shortage of qualified nursing staff in the private health care sector which was also being mirrored in the NHS.

The nurses are being accommodated in Darlington, County Durham, before taking up posts in the region.

A company spokeswoman said: "Four Seasons Health Care recruits according to the strictest criteria from several different countries where the quality of nursing staff is recognised as being high.

"The recent arrival of 28 qualified nurses follows a series of interviews conducted by a senior manager who travelled to South Africa to be assured of the best available recruits.

"All overseas nurses are assisted with familiarisation and induction and are given every equal employment opportunity, including pay."

The spokeswoman added: "These new recruits are extremely welcome and are a valuable resource alongside our British staff in the delivery of continuing care to our many elderly residents."

Four Seasons Health Care is the largest care home group in the country.

As well as care homes, it operates a number of unique specialised centres such as the Jackson Suite, in Hartlepool, which cares for people aged 40 to 65 with disabilities such as dementia and Huntingdon's disease.