A CUMBRIAN haulage firm has won a multi-million distribution contract with the country’s largest retailer.

Eddie Stobart Ltd has been awarded a £25 million-a-year contract to distribute goods from Tesco’s new import centre at Teesport, Middlesbrough.

Goods that arrive at the import centre from sea and rail will be taken by Eddie Stobbart vehicles to regional distribution centres and stores throughout the UK.

Andrew Tinkler, chief executive of the Stobart Group, said: “This major new contract is aligned to Stobart’s multimodal strategy and gives us the potential to increase movements from road to rail, minimising disruption to UK roads and providing a cost effective and environmentally friendly solution.”