LOCATE in Kent, the agency that urges firms to move into the county, has hit its half-year jobs target in just four months.

Delighted bosses revealed that 1,008 jobs and 23 businesses have been wooed to the county between April and the end of July.

Just under half --11--are foreign-owned, including firms from Canada, South Africa, Switzerland and the United States.

Locate In Kent has set a target of 2,000 jobs and 40 businesses in the present year, and is well on the way to smashing its target before the year ends next March.

Medway council pumps £60,000 a year into the agency to promote the towns as a great place for business. Its total budget is £1.4m, including £660,000 from Kent County Council.

Paul Wookey, chief executive, said: "What is great is not simply the scale of the jobs or where the businesses are coming from, but also the types of industries they are involved in, all of which will help to ensure Kent retains a strong and diverse economy."

He added that it had been "challenging" attracting foreign investment at a time of global economic downturn.

"However, our recent performance demonstrates that Kent and Medway are increasingly being seen as a highly competitive European business location.

"Kent is a very exciting place to be at the moment, and with the announcement by the Government of further investment in Thames Gateway and Ashford, the future looks even brighter."