SEVENTY-FIVE new jobs are to be created in Accrington as work begins on a new 85-seater fast food restaurant today.

The new McDonald's restaurant will open in Hyndburn Road next month as part of a new leisure complex for the town.

The restaurant building itself -- which represents the latest in modular design and comprises of five modules built inside a factory -- arrived at the site today.

And it will take just two weeks to piece the parts together to form a 85-seater drive-thru restaurant.

The £1million outlet, which is being sited on derelict land next to Moreton Street site, is planned to open in the week beginning March 11.

The restaurant will form a major part of the town's new leisure complex which also includes a four-screen, 800-seat cinema and a 20-lane bowling alley which are both due to open in June.

The cinema will be known as the Accrington Metro and will be operated by Metroplex of London.

The bowling alley will be run by North West-based firm Osprey, which operates similar sites in Morecambe and Barrow-in-Furness.

David Duncan, owner of the new restaurant and franchisee of the McDonald's restaurant at Blackburn Road, Accrington, said: "This is a very exciting time for me having the opportunity to open a new restaurant and employ a further 75 staff."

Jobs will be available for full-time and part-time employees as well as for those who require flexible hours.