Plymouth-born business The Range to create 6,750 jobs across the UK

Businessman Chris Dawson, who launched the successful homeware chain The Range in Plymouth, plans to create 6,750 new jobs with 45 new stores planned across the country.

Plymouth-born Chris Dawson, 153rd on the most recent Sunday Times Rich List, began as a market trader in the city before opening his fisrt superstore at Sugar Mill Business Park in 1989, bought the retail park and renamed it Dawson's Mill.

The Range currently has 76 stores across the UK and the expansion plans will see stores open in Dudley, Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, Southend-on-Sea and Dundee later this year and a further 20 next year.

The company opened a new store in Glasgow on Friday, its first in Scotland.

Mr Dawson has also hinted at further plans to move into Europe.