Electrical retailer Comet is to create 3,000 jobs as part of a store expansion programme planned for the next five years.

Seventy 25,000 sq ft outlets are scheduled until 2007 with 600 jobs created from 14 stores set to open in the first year.

Although Oxfordshire has not been included in the first phase of development, a spokesman said the county had been identified as a location for one of the new "destination stores" which are twice as big as existing sites and employ up to 70 staff.

He could not reveal when the development would take place as a site had not yet been located.

Comet, which has more than 250 outlets in the UK, forms part of the Kingfisher group which also owns the B&Q DIY chain.

Comet managing director Rob Cissell said: "The programme highlights our confidence and commitment to expansion and investment."

Comet already has outlets in Cowley, Banbury and Oxford.