JAMES Bond's favourite boatbuilder Sunseeker International is to create 120 new jobs in Poole - plus up to 500 more in West Dorset.

Sunseeker is celebrating increased demand for its luxury yachts which have appeared in a string of Bond movies, including Casino Royale featuring new 007 Daniel Craig.

Yesterday the Echo revealed online that Poole-based Sunseeker was creating up to 500 new jobs in Portland by acquiring the Luhrs Marine factory at Osprey Quay.

Now Sunseeker - which employs nearly 2,000 people - has reaffirmed its commitment to Poole with news of 120 more jobs.

And a further 40 vacancies are likely to be created in Poole because some of its existing staff who used to work for Luhrs are likely to relocate back to Portland.

Sunseeker's founder and managing director Robert Braithwaite stressed his firm's ongoing commitment to Poole - despite the decision to snap up the 11.5-acre Portland site for just under £7 million.

"Our commitment to Poole is greater. We will be investing £10 million in Poole," he said.

Sunseeker is building a new factory on a two-acre site currently used for gravel shipments at Poole Port.

The new factory will be used to build Sunseeker's new 34-metre luxury yachts.

Buying the Portland site will allow Sunseeker to move large hull mouldings out to Osprey Quay - freeing up space for more work in Poole.

"Osprey Quay is an ideal location for our future expansion plans, we are particularly pleased that we can continue to build the business locally," said Mr Braithwaite.

"I am sure that by moving a level of production to the Portland location we will be able to build on the company's success whilst adding to the growth of the local economy and utilising the boatbuilding skills available in the area."

Sunseeker is the world's largest privately-owned builder of motor yachts of its kind and the UK's largest producer.

In January Sunseeker launched its largest model to date, the 37-metre Trideck Yacht, at the London International Boat Show.

Former Formula One team boss Eddie Jordan has bought the first of the 180-tonne vessels for a rumoured £11.5 million. It is currently moored at Sunseeker's site at Poole Quay.

He is set to call it The Snapper, as a successor to his Sunseeker 105 Yacht of that name.

Sunseeker has worked closely with Luhrs and the South West of England Regional Development Agency to secure the Portland site.

Production at Portland is due to get underway in May. The 500 staff would be recruited over the next four years.

Luhrs Marine will be remaining in the UK with a European HQ for sales and customer service.