The battle to save jobs at Lillyhall's closure-threatened tax office has been given a major boost - with news it will recruit up to 150 extra staff.

HMRC officials stress that the jobs will be temporary, saying the jobs are not relevant to the centre's long-term future.

But the move is being hailed as a "move in the right direction" by the Solway branch of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), which has battled to save the centre.

PCS rep Garry Humphrey said the decision was a “small victory” in the union's long-term campaign.

He said: "Over the last seven to 10 years, we've seen a 12 per cent decline in public sector jobs here and this decision makes it more likely that we will save the Lillyhall centre. 

“It's excellent news for our campaign to keep public sectors jobs being moved from Cumbria." 

He acknowledged the new jobs will all be fixed-term contracts but said it would give the Lillyhall centre a workforce of more than 300, proving it can play a key role in providing such services.

Mr Humphrey added: “It does little to change the fact that permanent public sector jobs are being stolen from Cumbria and moved to large urban areas outside of our county. 

“It doesn't alter the devastating financial impact to our fragile local economies the long term decline in public sector jobs in Cumbria has. So yes a small victory today but the campaign moves on as before." 

Workington MP Sue Hayman also welcomed the jobs. 

She praised PCS campaigners, saying: “The hard-working staff at the Lillyhall office play a vital role at a time when we need to ensure that we are collecting all of the tax that we should be, to fund important public services in our community.”  

The MP has written to written to Financial Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke, the Minister responsible for HMRC, asking him to set out a timetable for the future of the Lillyhall office following the reports that it could be given a two-year life extension as a transitional office. 

She added: “It would be a false economy for jobs to be slashed at HMRC when we need to be ramping up efforts to recover billions in unpaid tax. If we are to truly build a “Northern Powerhouse”, then we must ensure that West Cumbria is leading the way through jobs and investment.”