Nissan has announced plans to invest £192 million to build the next version of its Qashqai model in Britain, helping to safeguard 6,000 jobs.

The Japanese car giant said the decision is a "major endorsement" of the quality of British-made products and for its factories and workers in Sunderland, Bedfordshire and London.

The car will be developed at Nissan's design centre in London and at its technical site in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, before being built in Sunderland.

Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn made the announcement at a meeting with the Prime Minister in Downing Street, saying: "The UK has been a cornerstone of Nissan manufacturing since 1986, with the Sunderland plant setting important benchmarks for quality and efficiency in Europe and around the world."

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "This investment from Nissan is fantastic news and a great demonstration of the strength and vitality of the UK car industry."