Budget hotel chain Travelodge is to create 400 jobs by opening 15 new sites this year.

The company is investing £100 million in the new hotels, which include four in London and buildings in Glasgow, Southampton, Llandudno, Poole and Bristol.

The expansion will boost the number of Travelodges across the UK to over 500, with almost 38,000 rooms.

The company said it had identified sites for another 150 hotels which could create 3,000 jobs.

Chief executive Peter Gowers said: "We are investing more than £100 million in modernising our hotels for our customers and we now have 87% of guest rooms upgraded to our new look."

Chancellor George Osborne said during a visit to Birmingham Airport Travelodge: "Our long-term economic plan for the Midlands is to make the area an engine for growth by backing business and supporting growth.

"The expansion of a great British brand like Travelodge within a growing hotel and leisure industry in the UK, is fantastic news."