A NEW supermarket has received 2,000 applications from job hunters for 330 vacancies.

Tesco chiefs revealed that they received the equivalent of six applications for each vacancy available for the new superstore due to open in Great Harwood, next month.

Bosses at the new 4,900 square metre store, in Queen Street, interviewed over 1,000 local people and as a result 80 per cent of the new workforce lives within a three-mile radius of the supermarket.

Almost half of the new jobs have gone to local people who were previously unemployed.

Hyndburn Council’s deputy leader, Clare Pritchard, said that it was ‘excellent’ news for the area.

She said: “Of course the number of applications shows how much these jobs are needed. We are in the depths of a recession and times are hard. I applaud Tesco for doing this and making sure local people are taken on.

"Three hundred jobs will make a massive difference to the local job market and economy.”

Store manager, Peter Hampson, and his team worked closely with Job Centres and Remploy to help local residents who were currently out of work gain employment. The jobs are a mix of temporary jobs and permanent contracts.

And Peter said: “It is great we have been able to create so many jobs and we are delighted to have received such a great response from local people. The number and standard of applications was simply overwhelming.

“I’m thrilled with my team and I am sure that many of them will progress within the company as I did. I believe the new store will be a great place to work, offering many opportunities for people to develop skills and build a career.”

The new store opens at 8am on Monday, December 5 and a launch ceremony will take place at 10am the same day.

The celebrations will include a £1,000 donation to a local charity and complim-entary refreshments.