CANADIAN chain Tim Hortons has revealed it plans to open its first branch in West Yorkshire in autumn this year.

The firm, which is known for its coffee and baked goods, is turning the former Pizza Hut site at Junction 27 retail park, into a restaurant and drive-thru.

The new restaurant is expected to create up to 50 local jobs, and is part of the company's plans to bring Tim Hortons restaurants to every major town and city in the country, by 2022, along with more than 2,000 jobs.

The Birstall branch will offer dine-in seating for up to 100 guests, with additional external seating available, as well as its drive-thru.

Customers can expect coffee, billed as Canada’s favourite, freshly baked donuts and donut bites, known as Timbits, around the clock, as well as breakfast, lunch and evening meal options, including hot sandwiches and wraps.

Kevin Hydes, chief commercial officer of Tim Hortons franchise in the UK said: “We already have a huge fan base in the North of England, so are particularly excited to be bringing Tim Hortons to Leeds for the first time. It’s in a fantastic location and we are expecting a lot of interest from the surrounding areas, so it’s great to continue our expansion in Yorkshire following the opening of our Sheffield restaurant.

“We are proud to be investing in the local community and are recruiting for a variety of full and part-time roles. We encourage local fans of Tim Hortons to keep an eye out for more news as we develop our plans.”

The company, which was founded in Ontario in 1974, opened its first UK store in 2017 and there are now 27 outlets.

Pizza Hut closed down on December 30. At the time, the company said the closure was “beyond our control” and it was trying to redeploy staff.