ICONIC raincoat firm Mackintosh has been awarded a grant of £150,000 to help with its expansion plans.

The company, which is based in Scotland but has a site in Waterford Street, Nelson, has received the cash from Regenerate Pennine Lancashire.

That money has helped to fund the purchase of state-of- the-art textile equipment, including sewing and cutting machinery, with the aim of doubling its manufacturing and working capacity.

The investment could eventually create up to 60 new jobs.

Stephen Lees, general manager at the plant, said: “Our raincoats are highly detailed and require an enormous amount of skill to produce.

“So it was important that we invested further in Nelson to retain our highly skilled workforce and take on more staff from the area.”