A £300,000 investment at a glass factory is helping a firm break into new markets and create jobs.

Conservatory Coloured Glass has installed a glass toughening machine at its Centurion Court factory in Blackburn.

Seven new jobs have been created at the firm which specialises in glass for conservatories and doors.

"We used to buy toughened glass in from a firm in Ireland but we got to the stage where with the volumes we were dealing with it made sense to do it ourselves," said managing director Dave Bradshaw.

The machine is one of only a handful in use in the North of England.

It turns ordinary glass into toughened glass by rapidly heating it up and then cooling it down.

And the toughening machine has opened up new markets for the firm.

"The furniture industry for example uses toughened glass to meet safety requirements so we are currently looking at that area."

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