A recruitment drive by Jaguar Land Rover to fill 1,500 new positions at its Halewood plant has seen an “unprecedented” 14,000 applications.

The manufacturer has created the job places at the factory near Liverpool to support the launch of its new Range Rover Evoque model.

Company bosses did not expect the “overwhelming” response, which has seen nearly ten people applying for each job available.

Eight thousand of the applications were received in the first week of the recruitment process.

Mark Pennifold, Jaguar Land Rover’s HR manager, said: “The launch of the Range Rover Evoque is a critical milestone for Jaguar Land Rover and Merseyside.

"This unprecedented response demonstrates how important an employer Jaguar Land Rover is to the region and we look forward to welcoming the new members of the team over the coming months."