Darlington football players will be driving around in style after the club signed a deal with a car rental company.

Darlington Football Club's (DFC) first team footballers will be supplied with a range of Audis, Volkswagens and Vauxhalls from Reflex Vehicle Solutions.

The company has recently announced plans to more than double its workforce of 17, and has just quadrupled its office space at Preston Farm Industrial Estate, in Stockton.

John Collins, who established Reflex Vehicle Solutions in 2004 and was one of the original members of Darlington-based Northgate PLC management team, said he was delighted with the deal.

"Being from Darlington myself I have always supported the football club and I was a non-executive director in the early nineties," he said.

"I have kept in touch with many of the players and people I met at the club during my time there, and we have worked hard on this deal to ensure that we can provide the players with what they need at a competitive price."

David Hodgson, Darlington FC manager, said: "This was especially important to us as football is a fast-moving industry and we are often welcoming new players from around the UK who need their own transport at their disposal immediately."

As well as its headquarters in Stockton, Reflex has also opened service delivery sites and offices in Glasgow, Middlesbrough and close to the M25 in London.

The company, whose client-base also includes DHL, the Royal Mail, and Currys, provides rental deals on cars and commercial vehicles to more than 150 businesses across the UK.