Organisers of a jobs scheme in Manningham were today celebrating helping their 270th person get work - months ahead of schedule.

The jobs@manningham scheme was set up last August to help people in the deprived area find work and take advantage of training.

Project manager Kirsty McKay said the £850,000 project, funded by Girlington and Manningham Single Regeneration Budget and the European Regional Development Fund, had been a phenomenal success.

Now the team is seeking another careers advisor and looking forward to moving into a bigger building and providing more services.

Mrs McKay said: "It has been fantastic. We were set up last August with the aim of finding 450 jobs over two years. But we are exceeding our target and have helped a lot of young people."

Originally 16 to 25-year-olds were targeted for help. Now no-one is turned away, said Mrs McKay.

There will be help and advice for over-25s and women-only sessions to help those with cultural difficulties look for work. There is also a Job Centre representative permanently at the Carlisle Business Centre premises to give advice.

Mrs McKay said: "It is great to be helping people into work. We are working with lot of local companies and helping employers find employees as well as the other way round. One recent success story we had was of a young man who had never worked. He came to us and we helped with his CV and interview techniques and practised and practised with him and finally got him a job at the Inland Revenue where he is doing really well. It has given him a lot of confidence."

Mrs McKay said that people came from all different backgrounds. The scheme has also attracted the attention of Bradford College which is introducing computer sessions.

Mohammed Amran, from the Commission for Racial Equality, said the scheme was "absolutely fantastic".

"I work with a lot of young people and I have referred them to jobs@manningham and they have referred others to me. I have seen the fantastic work they do. It is very accessible. For example, in the past people had to go into the town centre to get careers advice. Now it is on their doorstep."