A pension specialist with thousands of members under its belt is taking on more staff.

Carlisle firm InvestAcc, based on Port Road Business Park near Caldewgate, is to boost its workforce to 60 by taking on five new members of staff.

The company was set up 25 years ago by local businessman Nick Gardner and has recently processed its 4000th pension scheme member with £1 billion of assets under administration.

To celebrate that milestone and to celebrate its 25th anniversary the firm recently held a summer ball for staff.

Nick, who is managing directror, said: “I was born and raised in the local area and when I established InvestAcc, it was important to me that we created an environment that people enjoy working in and were proud of

“Over the past 25 years we have grown organically and I am proud of the team that continue to service clients and their advisers, providing high levels of technical expertise and administration.

"We still consider ourselves to be a local firm but due to the strength of our products, staff and service we are able to compete on the national stage."

InvestAcc is also involved with local charities and sporting teams with staff encouraged to support causes close to their hearts.

It has achieved an annual growth rate of more than 20 per cent per annum over the past five years hopes to exceed that this year.