FIFTY new jobs have been created by one of East Lancashire's biggest firms ahead of a major TV sales push.

Barnoldswick-based Silentnight Beds, which uses a cuddly hippo in its ads, is gearing up for a "heavyweight" national advertising campaign by taking on extra staff.

The New Year jobs joy was announced by Britain's biggest beds manufacturer in anticipation of a boom in demand following the TV ads.

The £1 million-plus campaign will feature the return of the pyjama-clad Hippo and his friend the duck, the cartoon logos which have been Silentnight's trademarks for more than ten years.

It will be first screened during the break on Emmerdale on January 25 and run for three months. Silentnight is also sponsoring the spring series of TV drama Where The Heart Is.

The TV exposure is expected to boost demand and Silentnight is already preparing to increase production with its recruitment drive.

The new jobs, which have been created in various departments, mean the company employs more than 700 at its Barnoldswick and Salterforth plants.

Established 50 years ago by Tom Clarke and employing an initial workforce of just 25 employees, the firm has grown to become one of the area's major employers.

Managing director Andrew Clark said: "We have great faith in the television advertising campaign and are gearing up our production capacity to meet the increased demand for our products. "This latest recruitment confirms once more our commitment to the local community and our determination to stay ahead of the competition."

It is nine years since the Hippo and Duck duo were on TV in the popular "No roll together" ad and Mr Clark says he is confident the time is right for a major comeback on the nation's television screens.

"The business is enjoying strong growth and the timing is right to reinvest some of he profit made in the long term development of the company," he said.

"The two characters became as synonymous as Tom and Jerry and, although we haven't used them on television recently, the icons remained a focal part of our sales and marketing strategy."

The group, whose brands include Silentnight, Rest Assured and Sealy, is also a major player in the lounge furniture market.

Last year acquisitions included the £18 million takeover of Ducal, one of the largest manufacturers of solid wood furniture in the UK, followed by the £23 million acquisition of the Parker Knoll group.

Nationally the group employs more than 4,000 staff.

Picture: Silentnight staff celebrate the creation of 50 more jobs with their hippo mascot.