Two-man delivery firm Panther has extended its range of delivery services to cover lighter large goods, as well as opening two new depots, following a surge in business over the last 12 months.

The company said it has won £35m in new business over the last year due to customers seeing an increase in internet sales of large items.

It has also forecast an annual turnover of £17m this year, up from £5m three years ago.

The new service will cover items such as doors and mirrors and will be run out of its new sites in Peterlee in County Durham and Taunton in Somerset, as well as its existing site in Northamptonshire.

Each of the new 15,000 ft² sites will operate a 15-strong fleet of vehicles and employ 40 staff.

MD Colin McCarthy said the service extension had been introduced because "very often we take enquiries from companies looking for a service to transport large items that they want moving en masse, but which are not necessarily heavy”.

Earlier this year Panther introduced a three hour delivery window and launched a mobile app for drivers.