MORE than 60 new jobs are to be created in Darlington after business leaders handed out £12,000 worth of grants.

Businesses in the tourism, sales promotion and manufacturing sectors will benefit from the cash windfall.

The money has been provided by the economic regeneration unit of Darlington Borough Council.

Broadwood Building Accessories will be the main job creator, with plans to employ up to 50 people manufacturing a range of laminated building boards.

Directors Terry Simmons and Andrew Peart said they expected to start production later this autumn.

The council has also offered a grant of £1,500 towards marketing costs and the company has also attracted help from the Government Office One North-East and Business Link Tees Valley.

Harewood Lodge Guest House, in Grange Road, will get £3,000 towards providing three new bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms.

The council says tourism is a growing part of the local economy and should be supported.

Exploring Britain Ltd has been given a grant of £2,345 towards set-up costs at Morton Park, where it plans to employ five people producing tourist guide books.

GR Visual Communications got a grant of £500 to assist with expansion costs and towards funding a post in its commercial photography studio at Morton Park. Pro-Actif Communications has been given £3,000 to create three new jobs in its High Northgate premises.

Fresh and frozen meats producer, Country Valley Foods, received a grant of £1,500 to install CCTV as part of the improvements at Hurworth Moor, where more jobs are forecast.

The company has also received a grant from the council's Northgate Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme towards repair and renovation works to the outside of the building.

Economic regeneration spokesman Coun David Lyonette said: "These grants, paid out over the last two months, demonstrate the on-going investment made by the council to help create sustainable jobs and to support the expansion plans of local businesses."

Despite some good news for the town's economy, the first redundancies at Rothmans will come at the end of this month.

Tom Roberts, of British American Tobacco, said: "There will be very few redundancies at the end of this month, largely people who have been on long term sick leave. I currently can't say how many."

Amicus, the UK's largest manufacturing union, said redundancies had been agreed with the union.

About 160 employees have expressed an interest in the 120 positions available at the firm's Southampton plant.