London-based training and crewing firms The Bridge and The Crewing Company will open a joint office in Manchester next week to meet the growing demand for freelancers and training in the north-west.

The companies, together with Alias Hire, form DIA Media Group. Alias will join them in Manchester in the next two months.

“With some of the Olympics taking place in the North, it’s important to be able to distribute kit in that part of the country,” said DIA chief operating officer David Brady.

“And with the uptake at MediaCityUK increasing, we saw a real opportunity to service the north-west from Manchester.”

The DIA North office, which will be will be based at the city’s Exchange Square development, will be headed by general manager Mark Brown.

The Crewing Company managing director Stephanie Asplin said: “We have had production and post-production crews working in Manchester for the past four years so this is the natural next step.”