Brickwork Services is having to turn down contracts due to a shortage of skilled staff as the housing boom spreads countrywide.

Managing director Steve Willis said experienced bricklayers in the area can earn “considerably more” than £1,000-a-week rates being quoted in London.

The firm currently has 130 bricklayers working on contracts across the North East.

Willis told the Hartlepool Mail: “The construction sector has been growing fast and all the signs are that there will be further massive growth in 2015.

“We are starting major contracts on eight new sites in January alone and just one of our clients is expecting to have more than 20 new sites established in the first half of the year.

“We expect others to follow suit and we have been struggling to find the skilled workers we need for some time.

“We are doing everything we can to find skilled bricklayers but also to attract apprentices, the unemployed, Army personnel coming back into civilian life or anyone looking to learn a skill that will bring them a good financial reward for their hard work.

“We have some bricklayers currently earning considerably more than £1,000 a week so it is a real opportunity for the individual and an ideal situation for us if we can expand our skilled team by creating job opportunities for local people and grow the business further.”