MECHANICAL and electrical contractor Norstead has announced two successful contract wins in the North-East worth a total of £4.3m.

The company, part of the Metnor Group, in Killingworth, North Tyneside, is expecting to achieve a turnover for the year of more than £30m.

Norstead will start work at Debenhams' MetroCentre outlet and at Hyclone, a pharmaceutical company, next month.

As well as these two projects, the company has already worked with other members of the Metnor Group, on the Newcastle Falcons rugby stadium which was completed last year.

Managing director Robert Pratt has also announced two further contracts worth another £1.4m.

The mechanical and electrical work for Debenhams is worth £2.3m to Norstead. The MetroCentre outlet will be the retailer's largest department store in the country. Work is due to start next month and run until July next year.

For Hyclone, in Cramlington, Northumberland, the £2m mechanical and electrical works, due to run from August until December, are part of an extension to the company's site, which is being carried out on behalf of Japanese construction firm Kajima.

Two other projects under way are an extension at Matfen Hall Hotel, Northumberland, which is being built by fellow Metnor Group company Metnor Construction, and a pipework project at pharmaceutical company Sanofi, in Fawdon, Newcastle.