MALMESBURY is set to receive an influx of new workers after Dyson announced it will be doubling the number engineers employed at its Tetbury Hill headquarters.

The current engineering team will jump from 350 to 700 and see the total number of employees at the site reach nearly 1,600.

The news comes just days after the Sunday Times Rich List revealed company founder Sir James Dyson had seen his personal fortune increase 64 per cent over the past 12 months.

He now ranks number 61 in the UK with £920m, up from £560m last year.

The new jobs will bolster the company’s research and development department which saw 54 jobs axed in December 2008.

In 2002 560 staff members lost their jobs when the company relocated manufacturing to Malaysia.

Malmesbury Mayor Catherine Doody was glad to see the town’s workforce increase.

She said: “This is great news, we’re really fortunate that Dyson is bucking the national trend.

“In most places around the UK the reverse is happening.

“A lot of the new staff will probably come from outside Malmesbury but hopefully it will have a positive knock on effect.

“With all the house building going on at the moment it looks like there will be enough homes for them.”

James Dyson said it was the responsibility of companies like his to provide employment opportunities for budding science and engineering students.

He said: “I am extremely proud of the new technology developed by our engineers in Malmesbury.

“It is vital that Dyson, and the UK, continues to invest in the nation’s engineering talent if we are to stay ahead.

“With excellent young aspiring scientists and engineers in our schools it falls to companies such as Dyson to encourage this future generation.

“As our need for good design and technology increases so does the need for creative and adventurous designers, engineers and scientists.”