A BOOMING online holiday company is creating another 180 jobs at its call centre in Accrington.

In January 2009, Sitel announced 150 new jobs at the Globe Centre - the former home of Thomas Cook.

And now the firm, whose clients include internet holiday giants Expedia and Hotels.com, says it will more than double its workforce by October.

The new jobs will include additional call centre staff and support workers.

At last week‘s Hyndburn Council AGM, Council leader Peter Britcliffe said: "I met the with the managing director this week and she is delighted with the workforce in Hyndburn. It seems the Lancashire voice and accent goes down well with people. The council has worked very hard at bringing Sitel to Accrington and we are all getting along well. It’s nice to see that the Conservative led Hyndburn Borough Council is bucking the trend in creating jobs in this climate."

But Labour leader Graham Jones questioned who really was responsible.

He said: "The expansion plans announced by Sitel are thanks to the hard work of the former council leader George Slynn who died last month. It was his vision and it is his legacy which has created these jobs."

Sitel director Marianne O’Shea Rutz said: "We have been asked by Expedia and its sister company Hotels.com to increase our operations in Accrington which is wonderful. We opened the operation in Accrington last year as we knew people had the skills we desired because of Thomas Cook.

"My point to the council when I spoke to them was that we wanted to hire local people. People who live and work in Hyndburn will spend their money in Hyndburn. We also want employees to have a reasonable work-life balance which is why we are keen to hire people who live in the area and won’t be commuting from Manchester."