JOBLESS people in Durham are being offered the chance to sign up for jobs and training with a new supermarket.

Tesco hopes to staff its new multi-million pound store in Dragonville - where unemployment is three times the rate for the rest of the city - with 400 people, most of them currently unemployed.

It has launched The Dragonville Partnership with organisations including local councils and the Sherburn Road Regeneration Initiative to breathe new life into the rundown area.

It is holding a jobs open day on Tuesday, February 27, when people can find out more about the jobs and training on offer at the supermarket, which is due to open in the autumn.

The jobs will be open to anyone who is unemployed on that day. Application forms, which must be returned within a week, and benefits advice will be available at the event.

Tesco staff will answer questions about working for the company.

The scheme is identical to one Tesco ran in a run-down area of Leeds and could bring investment from other firms into the area.

The company believes that lack of basic skills such as numeracy and literacy - and lack of child care is holding many unemployed people back.

It plans to offer basic skills training at New College Durham and convenient and affordable child care.

Tesco's regeneration project manager Martin Venning said: "The Dragonville Partnership training and jobs scheme will motivate unemployed people to return to learn and tackle their basic skills.

"The carrot will be the guarantee of a job before the training programme with the only proviso being that applicants then go on to meet clearly laid out training criteria. The scheme graphically demonstrates that learning does pay.''

A Durham County Council spokesman said: "The investment in jobs and training will have positive long-term effects not just for today but for tomorrow's generation as well.''

The jobs fair will be held at the Pelaw View Centre, Hilda Avenue, on the Sherburn Road Estate, starting at 9.30am.

People who want to register an interest in the jobs now can call a hotline, (0191) 3824021, for more details.