Electronics group Dixons helped lift some of the jobs gloom hanging over the North-East yesterday when it announced plans for six new stores.

The company said it planned to invest £5m in the North-East as part of an on-going expansion programme.

Dixons enjoyed healthy sales over Christmas thanks in part to an aggressive TV advertising campaign fronted by Changing Rooms celebrity Linda Barker.

With like-for-like sales up by 5 per cent the group is pressing ahead with expansion plans that will create around 240 new jobs in the North-East.

Finance director Jeremy Darrock said the new stores would underline the group's commitment to the region.

The new stores are expected to be split between the Dixons, Currys and PC World brands.

Bosses are examining plans for an expansion of the Dixons brand.

New out-of-town Dixons xL stores will be far larger than existing high street outlets and carry a wider range of goods.

However the group is proceeding cautiously as there is a danger the xL stores could end up competing with Currys out-of-town sites. The group's big UK rival - Comet - recently opened a similar electronics superstore at Teesside Park, near Stockton.