A MAJOR deal with a car manufacture could bring 3,000 jobs to Basildon - but Covid-19 has put talks on hold.

A deal between bosses at Basildon Council and an unnamed manufacturer aims to bring thousands of jobs as council chiefs turn to America for investment.

Gavin Callaghan told the Echo the deal follows his trip to the United States in February - alongside council chief executive Scott Logan - to tie up the large-scale deal.

A vocational centre could be built in Basildon, which will see thousands of young people trained to build the next generation of vehicles, as part of Ford’s Edge Foundation.

The manufacturer, who is unnamed due to ongoing discussions on contracts, will join Ford as the second major car firm in the area.

The leader said: “We have been on a trade mission and are seeking inward investment from the US into Basildon.

“Basildon needs to be at the front of the queue. We can’t be standing still.

“If we can bring what we saw at the vocational centre over here then we will. It will be a huge investment.

“Clearly the pandemic has halted things.

“Our young people will be trained and ready to work.”

Mr Callaghan visited several cities, including Nashville, Jacksonville, and South Carolina and only made it home days before President Donald Trump announced the travel ban to and from the UK amid the coronavirus crisis.

The Echo was told earlier this year council chiefs are searching for US investment into the planned 5,000 seater stadium.

Kerry Smith, the deputy leader of Basildon Council, added: “The council has had failed trips to India where we have come back with nothing.

“If this is the outcome then this is brilliant. Anything that brings jobs to Basildon is a positive. It’s what we need moving into the post Brexit years.”