THE communications giant BT has boosted the Cumbrian economy by £36 million in the past year, an independent report reveals.

The company, which is a major partner in the Connecting Cumbria high-speed broadband partnership, employs nearly 500 people in the county.

In the wider North West it supports more than 18,300 jobs through direct employment and the amount it spends with contractors and suppliers. This totted up to £1.3 billion in economic benefit for the region, according to the report by Regeneris Consulting.

Mike Blackburn, BT’s regional director for the North West, said: “BT and its employees make a major contribution to the region’s economy. They are a key part of its prosperity and economic well-being. BT is at the centre of every community and our day-to-day work benefits every local authority area right across the UK.”