Companies in Furness created more than 600 new jobs last year, partly thanks to support from development agency Furness Enterprise.

Figures just released show a total of 638.5 jobs were created in 2006, up 25.8 per cent on the previous year, while a further 125.5 jobs were safeguarded.

Furness Enterprise helped employers through a combination of assistance for new start-up businesses, supporting growth by existing firms, helping reinvestment by multi-nationals and a small number of companies moving into the area.

Officials said financial support had played a key role in helping companies to expand and take on extra staff.

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