A NORTH-EAST construction firm is creating 70 jobs in £4.2m motorway services work.

Clugston Construction, which has offices in Hebburn, South Tyneside, is building a truck-stop and petrol station on the A1 at Leeming, in North Yorkshire.

Bosses say the work for Exelby Services will create 70 jobs and a further 15 posts when the services are operational in September.

Steve Waggett, Clugston Construction's North-East regional business manager, said: “This project is a great way to kick off 2014 and we are really pleased to have been awarded the contract.”

Michael Exelby, Exelby Services' chief executive, said the company had worked for more than ten years on the project.

He added: “It has been a long journey, but we are delighted to have finally broken soil on the site.

“I've been very impressed with the quality of Clugston's previous work.

“This new facility is vital for this stretch of the A1 because service areas and parking spaces have been lost due to upgrades.”

Clugston's construction division is part of the wider Clugston Group, which also operates Clugston Distribution.

That delivery business has a base in Billingham, near Stockton, which moves cement from Seaham, County Durham, ash from Billingham, and containers from Wilton, near Redcar.