WORKERS at a banking calls centre are cashing in on an employment boost which will bring 300 jobs to Bolton.

The centre in Horwich has just gone live with more than 60 staff now selling a revolutionary all-in-one mortgage and current account.

Virgin One has built a £3 million service centre at Middlebrook Enterprise Park after outgrowing its call centre in Norwich, which employs 700 staff.

New staff at Bolton have just taken their first calls and yesterday the centre was officially opened with a live video link-up between the two branches.

Workers at Bolton wore Norwich City's green and yellow colours for the day while staff there donned Wanderers' white and navy blue.

Richard Branson's company linked up with the Royal Bank of Scotland four years ago to launch Virgin One letting people run their finances from one account.

Roland Russell, operations director, said: "It has proven very popular and we needed another base. After looking at a number of sites across the country Horwich came out top.

"It has excellent business links and is very easily accessible but the best thing is the positive attitude of people here. We had an excellent response to our recruitment drive."

Up to 30 staff from Norwich will be seconded to train the new staff.

Miles Biber, a 28-year-old trainer from Norwich, had his long locks shaved off to raise money for Derian House hospice.

Cutting his hair was former hairdresser Lindsay Stafford, aged 22, from Fairbarn Street, Horwich, who started work at the centre yesterday.

Sixty six staff are now at the centre and about 120 will be trained and working there by the end of the year.

Call centre worker Ian Norris, aged 30, from St Ann's Road, Horwich, said: "The location is great for me and means I can walk to work. Having something like this is brilliant for Horwich."

A Business Partnership Unit will open with eight financial advisors by the end of the month.