A SUCCESSFUL mortgage firm is considering expanding out of Warrington because it cannot recruit enough staff.

The Finance Centre and its associated companies have 140 employees, mainly at its town centre office - but it has 50 vacancies.

Great Sankey man Wayne Smethurst is one of three partners who runs the firm, founded in his back bedroom in 1991 - it now handles mortgages worth £1.5bn a year.

It has a £10m a year turnover and a three-storey HQ in Haydock Street.

But a lack of recruits means its future expansion may take place in Manchester instead of Warrington.

"We are probably one of the biggest private employers in Warrington but not many people know about us," said Wayne, aged 37.

"As we have got bigger and bigger, we have found it harder to recruit people because they don't even know we are here, probably because our work is business-to-business.

"And because Warrington has got low unemployment, there's not just a shortage of skilled people, but a shortage of skilled people looking for a new career."

The company is trying to staff from the financial sector, and support administration staff.

It is planning to hold a recruitment drive at The Halliwell Jones Stadium on July 12 and wants people to register through its website.

The Finance Centre is a mortgage distributor that works with lenders including the US investment banks Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers.

Mr Smethurst is aiming to grow two mortgage firms from the existing one.

They are Glow Mortgages, a firm that deals with undischarged bankrupts, and The Mortgage Champion, which avoids brokers fees and evaluation fees by performing phone and internet valuation.

sbailey@guardiangrp.co.uk