A business centre that could create up to 200 jobs on South Tyneside has been opened.

The £3.8m centre, on reclaimed land in the old St Hilda's railway sidings in South Shields and run by TEDCO, South Tyneside's enterprise agency, has space for 75 businesses.

The centre was given a £100,000 grant from Northumbrian Water's Kick-Start Fund and also funded by the Single Regeneration Budget, the European Regional Development Fund, the late Dame Catherine Cookson and businesses.

TEDCO chief executive Doug Scott said: "TEDCO Business Works is in Rekendyke, the ward in South Tyneside with the highest rate of unemployment. The Kick-Start training facilities have already been used by a wide range of groups from the business, community and education sectors, helping to promote enterprise in the borough.''

Northumbrian Water's head of corporate affairs, John Mowbray, said: "The Kick-Start Fund was created with the key objectives of creating jobs, helping new businesses and contributing to the process of regeneration in the region we serve.

"This superb scheme is on the way to achieving all these objectives.

"The new Kick-Start Development Centre will play a central role in preparing South Tyneside's companies to meet the challenges of the modern global business environment and in introducing young people to the world of enterprise.'