THE world's top Mini stunt driver was on hand yesterday to help launch a development that could provide space for 1,000 office workers.

Russ Swift, of Darlington, was showing off his driving skills with handbrake parking, two-wheeling and reverse spins inside the Memphis building at Lingfield Point in the town.

Developer Marchday was showcasing the 150,000sq ft of former warehouse to North-East property agents.

Memphis, as the former warehouse is now known, is single-storey accommodation with its original flooring in place. Marchday has removed folding warehouse doors and installed a glass facia.

It is looking for service sector businesses, particularly call centres, headquarters or back office centres, to move into the offices, which can be divided if neccessary.

More than 1,400 people work in office units at Lingfield Point, which was formerly the Paton and Baldwins wool factory.

Two buildings have already been converted into office space, Lingfield House, at the centre of the development, and the former Beehive Ballroom, which provides studio offices.

Marchday is developing the site slowly so as not to saturate the market. It is drawing up a master plan for the rest of the development, which could eventually provide space for another 3,500 workers.