A SPECIALIST steeplejack and building restoration firm has revealed plans to open more offices, creating jobs.

Stone Technical Services, in Darlington, which last year opened an office in Pinner, Middlesex, now hopes to open more regional offices to handle the growing number of contracts around the UK.

The move comes as the company, which is responsible for the maintenance of St Paul’s Cathedral, has won work on Teesside.

It has been awarded the contract to carry out annual surveys at INEOS Plant Utilities, at Seal Sands, near Billingham.

Last year, Stone was appointed as the site contractor at the AOGO plant at Seal Sands and completed a chimney shutdown to carry out inspections as well as providing specialist access and a survey on the site, which is owned by INEOS.

The company employs 21 people at its Darlington headquarters in Kellaw Road.

Dave Stone, who runs the company with his brother, Grahame, said: “There is a lot of competition in the marketplace at the moment as companies from around Europe compete for fewer contracts.

“Thankfully, our reputation within industrial companies means that we are well placed to continually secure vital deals to help our business grow.”