Japanese car manufacturer Toyota is to create 1,000 new jobs at its Burnaston plant in a move to 24-hour production.

The company plans to boost annual production levels at the factory from 220,000 to 270,000. A third shift is to be added to the production schedule - for the first time in any of Toyota's plants.

The extra shift will start in the second quarter of 2004, creating 1000 new jobs across all production areas at the plant. The company, which currently employs 3,900 workers at Burnaston and a further 700 at its engine plant at Deeside, produces the new Avensis as well as the Corolla. 80 per cent of Burnaston's cars are exported.

Bryan Jackson, the deputy managing director of Toyota Manufacturing UK says: "The increase of production in the UK represents a further endorsement of the commitment of our members to building quality vehicles for our customers in Europe and, later this year, in Japan."