NO-FRILLS supermarket chain Netto opened a £3m store in Stockton yesterday.

The 10,000sq ft Maritime Road outlet will replace the former Netto store at Chandlers Wharf, in Bridge Road, and create an additional five jobs to the 17 that have transferred.

The new Netto is similar in style to the £2m Darlington store, which opened in Neasham Road Retail Park last year.

Claus W'deled, managing director at Netto UK, said: "Everything is bigger and better. Here in Stockton, Netto is aiming to make the customer's money stretch much further. What we offer is no frills and lower bills."

Netto employs more than 2,500 people at its 145 stores across the UK and has more than 800 outlets in Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Poland.

Mr W'deled said the company would expand further in the future.

"We are opening a store in Lemington, in Newcastle, on September 29 and another in North Shields very soon," he said.

"There are a lot of opportunities in the North-East at the moment, but I can't say anything more about new sites until the details are finalised."