The owner of Birmingham outside broadcaster 021 Television has extended its investment plans to £5 million.

Parent company Gravity Media Group (GMG) said the cash will see Gravelly Hill-based 021- which is covering the World Cup for ITV - gain three new state-of-the art broadcast vehicles.

Warren Newbert, chief finance officer for GMG, said: "These will be high definition outside broadcast trucks which can house up to 30 production crew members, they will be be 40ft long with double expanding sides.

"They don't come cheap - and we see them as as playing an important part of the strategy for 021."

The trucks will each be capable of handling input from 30 cameras.

In January The Birmingham Post revealed how broadcast equipment provider GMG was set to plough in around £2 million to upgrade and update technology at 021.

The latest investment represents an increase on that total, Mr Newbert said.

Mr Newbert said 021 had a big team in Germany using up to ten cameras to supplement the host nation's match feed and providing in-studio coverage for the independent broadcaster.

Eight trucks were in place covering 28 matches with a team of 40 on the ground.

Mr Newbert said: "It's a large project and it comes at a good time - June and July are usually relatively quiet with football and rugby generally out of season."

The business employs 60 people at Gravelly Hill and drafts in freelances where necessary.

The first of the new trucks is expected to be delivered in the Autumn.

In January ITV announced the sale of 021 Television for £4.5 million to GMG as part of its disposal programme of non-core assets.

Turnover at 021 is £10 million, with the figure for GMG standing at £35 million.

Mr Newbert said it was hoped 021 would hope to take more people on as it expands

He described the parent company Gravity as one of the world's leading broadcast facilities service providers adding "we are looking to develop the group, both organically and by acquisition, in all of our markets."

As part of that process, 021 was regarded as an important fit in Gravity's UK operation and that was one of the key drivers for the deal.

021 covers sports or entertainment programming from Premiership football through to light entertainment such as Dancing On Ice.

GMG operates in the UK and Australia and owns a range of broadcast operators such as Gearhouse Broadcast, which supplies camera equipment to television stations.

Announcing the deal for 021, it said said the move would help it operate in a market where "only large companies will be able to deliver acceptable returns".

ITV announced its disposal process after the group was formed out of the Granada and Carlton merger in 2004. ..SUPL: