TESCO bosses have unveiled expansion plans that could create up to 300 new jobs.

They want to expand Tesco Extra in Horwich by almost 60,000 sq ft, making it a flagship store.

And the move will create hundreds of jobs at a time when recession is starting to bite.

The company held a public consultation at the Middlebrook Retail Park store over the weekend to ask shoppers for their views on the proposal.

The 113,000 sq ft store already has planning permission to increase to 148,000 sq ft, but the company is looking for a further increase which would take it to 171,000 sq ft. It would become one of the largest supermarkets in the region.

The extended store would include a mezzanine level, which would be accessed by a travelator.

The move would provide an extra 10,000 items and parking would be improved with more parent and child and disabled bays.

A spokesman for Tesco said: “We want to make Tesco in Horwich a flagship store and provide customers with a larger range of goods.

“We are carrying out consultation to gauge people’s views before we formally apply for planning permission.”

If it gets the go-ahead it would take about six months to build the extension.