The Ellesmere Port car plant in Cheshire is a front runner to build Vauxhall's new electric car, the Liverpool Daily Post has reported.

The president of Vauxhall's parent company General Motors (GM) told the newspaper that the Cheshire plant is seen as a leader in Europe and is a favourite to build the new car - which could ensure thousands of engineering jobs in the northwest region.

Currently the Ellesmere Port plant makes Vauxhall's Astra model and is expected to keep doing so until 2016. The new electric car, called the Ampera, can be produced on the same line.

GM president Fritz Henderson was quoted by the publication as saying: "Ellesmere Port is the lead plant for the Astra and we are encouraged by that.

"In terms of the Ampera, actions speak louder than words, and you can't give a better statement in terms of future production."

The Ampera will be built in the US at first but production could be switched to Europe in as little as two years.

Vauxhall's eco-friendly Ampera uses an electric motor to allow drivers to travel up to 40 miles before using petrol, helping to cut CO2 emissions.