A "BUDDY" system is helping new employees settle in at a growing Westhoughton pizza company.

Stateside Foods, which is based on the Wingates Industrial Estate, employs more than 500 people there and at another factory in Skelmersdale.

During the last year the company has employed 100 extra staff -- half of them school leavers.

The new "buddy" system means that newcomers are paired up with a more established member of staff who shows them the ropes.

Personnel manager Ian Gough said: "Being in a new job can be daunting.

"We have installed a buddy system to make staff feel at home as quickly as possible."

He added: "A buddy is basically a friendly face to help you settle in. They can show you everything -- from how to maintain our high standards of hygiene to where to sit at lunchtime."

Jimmy Roberts, who works in the packing department at the Westhoughton factory, has been at the company for three years and is a keen "buddy".

He said: "I think the buddy system is an excellent idea. It increases the relationship between the workforce as every new starter has a pal straight away.

"If someone is unsure of talking to management directly, they can talk to their buddy first. It is a good point of liaison between the shop floor and management."

Stateside, which was established in 1990 and has a turnover of £27 million, has signed export contracts with 15 European countries over the last 18 months.

The company's export division is planning to focus on international food fairs over the next couple of years, including the SIAL in Paris and Alimentaria in Barcelona.

Managing Director Jon Lucas said: "These fairs are expected to help further promote Stateside Foods products throughout Europe, helping the company increase its presence in the European market."