Dozens of jobs are being created in Birmingham City centre after a Staffordshire hair group revealed plans to invest £850,000 in the city this year.

Stafford-based Francesco Group says it will create about 60 jobs in the city through an expansion that will see a new salon open this week and a hair academy in the city centre in September.

The £500,000 salon, which opens on March 10, will have 1,600 sq ft on the ground floor of the flagship House of Fraser store on Corporation Street.

Meanwhile, £250,000 has been invested in the new Francesco Group academy in the heart of the city that is set to open in the basement of the former Habitat building with rear access on Pinfold Street.

The academy is a partner of Stafford College, and will offer 50 students a two-year full time course resulting in a diploma in hair services and other hairdressing qualifications.

A further 20 students will gain a modern apprenticeship on work-based learning.

Francesco Group managing director Ben Dellicompagni said: “When our students graduate, we endeavour to place them in one of our 31 salons across the UK.”