A £500,000 investment in new premises is the latest chapter in a success story for a family business which had its beginnings as a milk round.

Rowbotham Ltd's move to a 15,000sqft purpose built production facility on Consett's Park Road Estate has seen the company almost double its workspace to 49, taking on 20 staff and operating round the clock shifts to meet demand for its ready prepared fresh fruit and vegetables.

The expansion, completed with the help of Derwentside Industrial Development Agency (DIDA), takes the company a step closer to achieving its goal of becoming a market leader in the region.

Three generations of the Rowbotham family work in the business, including 80-year-old Annie, who started at the firm in the 1950s with her husband Ernest, and still works daily on the preparation bench with her youngest son John.

Her eldest son, George, and his son Paul are now directors of the company.

Johns son, John Edward and George's wife Sheila also work in the business.

The new premises boats a temperature-controlled environment which increases the shelf life of the products as well as state-of-the-art processing equipment.

Existing customers include chilled meal manufacturer International Cuisine as well as hospitals and local authorities across the region.

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 of the business.

"DIDA has been involved with us for many years so we have built up a good relationship and they have provided support each time we have expanded."

He added: "The agency helped us with this latest investment by putting together the funding package and helping us to apply for grants from the DTI and Derwentside District Council."

Steve Armstrong, business adviser at DIDA, said: "Rowbotham's is a local company that was prepared to adapt its activities to meet the market need and is now a thriving business creating jobs for Derwentside."