14,000 in the race for 1,500 Land Rover jobs

JAGUAR Land Rover received 14,000 applications for 1,500 new jobs at one of its car plants.

The car-maker described the response to its recruitment drive yesterday - with almost 10 people chasing each job - as "unprecedented" and "overwhelming".

The company is creating the 1,500 jobs at its Halewood plant in Merseyside to support the launch of its Range Rover Evoque model.

Mark Pennifold, the company's HR manager, said: "The launch of the Range Rover Evoque is a critical milestone for Jaguar Land Rover and Merseyside.

"Last year we announced the new addition to the range would create 1,500 jobs and I am pleased to say we have now come to the end of the recruitment process - a process which attracted 14,000 applications, 8,000 of which were received in the first week.

Jaguar Land Rover is reporting positive pre-orders for the Evoque, the most anticipated new car of the coming year, which will sell from 30,000.