KEEPING it in the family could be the motto at this company, because it has nine families on the workforce.

The related staff at the haulage, removals and storage facility company Fergusons make up 10% of people working there.

Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, and father and sons are all working side-by-side at the company, which has its head office in Cramlington and operates all over the UK.

Chairman Alan Ferguson said: “This company was built on the strong foundations of family ethos and we always welcomed applications from within our existing framework.

“These are challenging economic times and the support of a close knit team is important and makes for good working practice.”

Operations director John Arkle has been with the company for four years and works alongside his two sons, Michael and Stuart.

He said: “Fergusons is an employer with strong links with the local community.

“It has a long standing reputation for taking good care of its staff, and as such, family members of the current workforce often apply for positions when they become available.”

Transport manager Alec Purvis, who joined Fergusons in 1969, works with his son John Purvis, a general haulage driver.