CABLE company NTL, which supplies telephone and television services to thousands of local customers, has appointed a new managing director for the North West.

She is Debbie Lucas, aged 37, promoted from sales and field operations director from August 1.

"I want to see NTL become the consumer's preferred provider of telephone, television and internet services in the North West," she said.

NTL's North West region covers more than 360,000 customers in Greater Manchester, North Cheshire, East Lancashire, Staffordshire, Derby and the Wirral.

Manchester-born Debbie, who is a former classified telesales manager at a newspaper in the city, joined the cable industry in 1994. NEW MD: Debbie Lucas