BRITISH supermarket group Asda is to create up to 5,000 jobs over the next 12 months.

They will be generated through a store opening and refurbishment programme.

The news came as Asda, chaired by Conservative Party deputy chairman Mr Archie Norman, smashed City forecasts with a 30 per cent rise in its annual profits.

The group made a record pretax profit of £405.2 million sterling in the 53 weeks to May 3rd compared with £311.5 million in the previous year, although the latest figure was bolstered by an exceptional profit of £45.5 million.