A FAMILY business that had its beginnings as a milk round has marked the latest stage in its success story by investing half a million pounds in new premises.

Rowbotham Ltd's move to a 15,000 sq ft purpose-built production facility on Consett's Park Road Estate has seen the company more than double its workspace.

It has also taken on 20 more employees and operates round-the-clock shifts to meet demand for its ready-prepared and fresh fruit and vegetables.

The expansion, completed with help from the Derwentside Industrial Development Agency, takes the company nearer to its goal of being a market leader in the region.

Three generations of the Rowbotham family work in the business, including 80-year-old Annie, who started the company in the Fifties with her husband Ernest and still works daily on the preparation bench with her youngest son John. George and his eldest son Paul are now directors, while John's son John Edward and George's wife Sheila also work in the business.

The firm's customers include local chilled meal manufacturer International Cuisine and many hospitals and local authorities.

George Rowbotham said: "Over the years, as we have expanded and moved into new areas, we have always aimed to keep the family atmosphere and traditional values that were there in the early days."