A VAPING firm is set to bring a big jobs boost to Blackburn after investing more than £8million in a new base in the town.

Vampire Vape has ambitious plans as it takes on a 115,000 sq ft site in Global Way, Lower Darwen.

The e-cigarette liquid manufacturer intends to create 35 jobs over the next six months as it settles at its new base. Another 50 are then due to follow in the next year.

By the end of 2018 more than 150 people are likely to be employed by the company, which was established only five years ago.

Director Philip Boyle said he estimated that the Global Way site will be the 'largest dedicated e-liquid facility in the UK, possibly Europe'.

The firm was due to complete the deal by Friday.

It bought its current Shadsworth Business Park home as recently as March last year.

Mr Boyle, whose fellow director is Nathan Walton, said Vampire Vape was one of the fastest-growing e-cigarette companies in the UK.

The development will see more than £1million spent on bottling machinery to keep up with increased capacity.

The firm can now manufacture more than 150,000 bottles a day, which will rise to 250,000.

Mr Boyle said: “We set up back in 2012 and we have gone from strength to strength.

“We have gone down the international route, which has done well for us.

“At the moment we are spread over three buildings and everything is packed to the rafters.

"The new site is nearly four times bigger and we will have another two-and-a-half acres to go at.”

He added: “We have expansion plans throughout the rest of the world and currently exhibit at more than 20 trade shows per year.

“We also have distributors in most EU states, plus Russia, the Middle East, New Zealand, America, South America and India.”

Cllr Phil Riley, executive member for regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen, said he was pleased new jobs were being created in the borough.

He said: “We are always pleased when new businesses come to the borough and invest in the area by creating jobs for local people.”