A HOME furnishings company is to provide more than 100 jobs in Bolton's Tonge Valley.

Arthur Sanderson and Sons Ltd, which makes and distributes home furnishing products, is relocating from Lecturer's Close, Bolton, safeguarding 80 jobs.

And it plans to create a further 28 jobs during the next 12 months.

The company is the first to sign up for a prestigious £5.5 million industrial park off Britannia Way.

It is supported by a contribution of £584,413 from English Partnerships, a Government-sponsored body which regenerates derelict land and buildings.

The partners in the industrial park are local builders William Hargreaves and Orbit Developments, the firm behind the massive Middlebrook scheme.

The 4.85 hectare park will provide 118,850 sq ft of industrial floor space and create a further 80 jobs on completion in summer 1999.

Mark Phillips, development manager with English Partnerships, said: "The development of this industrial park is good news for the future prosperity of the area and will contribute to the City Challenge activities."

The new industrial park is part of The Valley, a leisure, industry and office area taking shape in an area reached from Blackburn Road.

Kelvin Butterworth, development director at William Hargreaves, said: "We are extremely pleased to be involved in this project and are delighted that English Partnerships has the confidence to invest in the scheme.

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