THE local economy has been handed a tonic after a cooker manufacturer was given £3million of grant funding that will aim to create 300 jobs over the next three years.

Glen Dimplex Home Appliances secured £3m from the Regional Growth Fund investment the largest sum to be awarded to a North West business.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, visited the firm’s 26-acre UK manufacturing headquarters of the company in Prescot to make the announcement.

The funding will help further expand its manufacturing facilities and increase capacity. It is expected the move will have created all the new jobs by 2017.

Glen Dimplex is the parent company of cooking appliance and refrigeration brands, Belling, Stoves, New World and Lec. It is said to be the last remaining manufacturer producing freestanding cookers, built-in ovens and hobs and range cookers in the UK.

The Prescot base turns over £150 million a year and employs more than 1000 people, including 200 engineers and 18 apprentices.

Three year apprenticeship scheme offers a variety of roles and Clegg met with the some of the company’s trainees.

Denver Hewlett, chief executive of Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, said: “This investment is hugely important to our business. Many years ago we committed to returning the manufacture of as many of our products back to the UK as possible but that has required significant investment.

“This money will allow us to further expand our operations, create jobs for the local community and increase our export activity.”

Mr Clegg described the overall injection to the Liverpool City Region of £23million “is the latest important part in making sure the recovery is sustainable and balanced across the country”.

He added: “What Glen Dimplex Home Appliances has done here is a great success story. It is very rare to see a company that fully manufactures its products on one site from beginning to end.”