I will hire more engineers, says inventor of the Dyson vacuum

INVENTOR James Dyson has pledged to recruit more of Britain's young engineers as part of a boost in research and development spending.

Mr Dyson, who is best known for inventing the bagless vacuum cleaner, plans to double the size of Dyson's UK engineering team from 350 to 700.

He said many of the recruits at the company's Wiltshire laboratories will be university graduates in design, mechanical and acoustic engineering.

Dyson, which exports its products to 49 countries, employs more than 2,500 people worldwide, with the number in the UK set to rise to 1,600.

Since 2005 it has quadrupled its research and development spending, launching the firm's smallest-ever vacuum cleaner.

Mr Dyson said: "It is vital that Dyson – and the UK – continues to invest in engineering talent if we are to stay ahead."