UP to 60 new jobs and £8 million in European exports could be coming to the borough.

Bury has won Euro cash to help small businesses boost their international trade.

It's the latest success for the Bury Strategic Partnership, which is also working on a bid to bring £5 million of Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) funding to the East Bury area.

The partnership, which brings together leaders from Bury Council, local communities and business, has now won £236,800 of European funding under the Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Initiative.

Councillor John Byrne, partnership chairman and deputy leader of Bury Council, said: "We are still very busy on the East Bury bid which, if we are successful, will bring £5 million worth of SRB funding and is expected to generate a further £30 million.

"All of that will be used to benefit the 12,000 population of the area and tackle a significant pocket of deprivation in our borough.

"However, we are really pleased with the success of the SME Initiative bid and it will hopefully bring a big boost to local firms and provide extra jobs for local people."

The SME cash will give help give local firms greater access to new international markets, particularly the European single market in co-operation with partners in other EU countries.

Coun Byrne added: "The funding will help us to raise awareness of the scope for European trade with the rest of the world, encourage small and medium-sized businesses and help them explore new markets.

"We hope that local companies who are currently only operating in Britain will now look to the Continent.

"The intention is to run a range of initiatives which will provide all the necessary business advice and training for dealing with the European markets."

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