A North-East marketing and PR firm is a growing concern.

Karol Marketing, of Newcastle, clocked up ten new jobs in the past 12 months and expects to add a further 15 by April.

That will take the workforce up to about 35, prompting a search for bigger premises in the city.

The firm now boasts an impressive portfolio of clients. These include O'Neill surf wear, Hush Puppies footwear, Columbia Sportswear, the Outdoor Industries Association, and e-commerce and IT specialists Perfect Image.

Karol Marketing has also notched up awards this year, winning the best creative work in direct marketing title at the NEPA Cream Creative Awards. That was thanks to its successful redesign of North Tyneside's electoral form, boosting the response rate for returned forms in the area by 70 per cent. It also won the best use of PR photography for client JBA North East.

Managing director Stefan Lepkowski said: "It is an exciting time for everyone in the company and we all have high hopes for the future.