VIRGIN Mobile is celebrating its second birthday this week having beaten its business targets.

When the company set up on the White Horse Business Park in 1999, it planned to employ 1,500 people within three to five years.

It employs 1,300 people already, the vast majority of which work in Trowbridge.

Virgin spokesman Steven Day said: "Business is going very well. It has been a tremendous two years. We expected to do reasonably well but we have exceeded expectations."

In the run up to Christmas, the company's busiest time, 100 new permanent staff have been taken on as the company looks to continue expanding.

Mr Day said: "We have really enjoyed it here. We have had tremendous support from the local community and it is a pleasure doing business with local organisations."