JCB has marked the 40th anniversary of the launch of one of its landmark products by revealing that production levels are expected to surge by 25 percent.

The Loadall telescopic handler was unveiled by the Staffordshire-based company in October 1977 and sold 64 machines that year.

JCB has since sold more than 220,000, generating more than £7bn in sales.

Chairman Lord Bamford said: "When we launched the Loadall in 1977, we sold just 64 machines that year but we were very confident that the telescopic handler would grow in popularity simply because it made jobs so much easier on construction sites and on farms.

"The concept soon took off and the faith we put in the telescopic handler four decades ago has been repaid. It’s wonderful to celebrate 40 years of success of the Loadall with production hitting historic levels."

It took almost 30 years for JCB to sell the first 100,000 Loadalls but it took less than ten years for the next 100,000 to be sold.