PROCTOR and Gamble (P&G) is expanding its global centre of excellence in laundry products, creating and safeguarding nearly 130 jobs in the region.

The company plans to invest more than £9.25m in its Longbenton Technical Centre on North Tyneside in the next three years.

It has already secured £1.85m of Regional Selective Assistance for the project from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Stephen Byers, secretary of state for transport, local government and the regions, annaounced the RSA grant while attending the official opening of P&G's new Global Business Service Centre at Cobalt Business Park, on North Tyneside.

He said: "I am delighted that for a second time in 18 months I am able to announce a substantial investment in North Tyneside by P&G with Government assistance.

"The company will expand its Centre of Excellence at its Technical Centre at Londbenton to develop new laundry products for the developing world."

He added: "This work will help create a mass of expertise at Longbenton and put the centre in a strong position to attract future projects.

"It will also create and safeguard 127 jobs.

"The Longbenton site has had to overcome intense competition from other P&G centres around the globe to win the investment, and it is a vote of confidence in the North-East economy and workforce that it has done so."