Almost 50 jobs are set to be created at a Worcestershire manufacturer after it secured £3 million from the Regional Growth Fund.

Malvern Instruments develops, manufactures and markets materials and systems used to measure particle size and shape, protein charge and molecular weight among others.

The products provide information deemed critical for developing new products as well as for enhancing and maintaining product quality and improving process efficiency.

It said it would use the money from the Government's flagship economic stimulus programme to create 47 new roles and support research and development of new analytical instruments to serve the fast-growing nanomaterials and bioscience sectors.

The company currently employs around 340 people in the UK and circa 480 more in locations around the world.

Managing director Paul Walker said: "This major boost for Malvern Instruments enables us make significant investments in UK R&D, applications development and manufacturing engineering, to extend our links with UK universities and schools and to invest further in our apprentice programme.

"It is good news not just for the company but also for the wider community in creating and securing employment opportunities and contributing further to the local economy.

"The bioscience and nanomaterials markets require novel analytical techniques and the funding will support our fundamental research in these areas, as well as enabling us to further develop the skills of new and existing employees."