BUSINESS Express has opened a "Customer Care Centre of Excellence" in Little Hulton.

It is staffed by a 30-strong team led by manager Elaine Boyle and supported by team leaders Justine Brabbin and Vanessa Lay.

Business Express is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Littlewoods Retail Group.

It delivers to Littlewoods customers and other high-profile clients such as Harrods of Knightbridge, Boots Mother & Baby at Home Catalogue and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Previously, customer enquiries were dealt with by 33 individual Business Express depots.

Business Express General Manager Mick Janicki said: "The increase in online shopping has seen a large number of new traders enter the marketplace -- a number of which we already service as delivery partners -- and this new service will enable them to have total confidence in us from collection to delivery."