A Liverpool football legend helped to officially open the new £11m offices of Birkenhead’s The Contact Company (TCC).

Former Liverpool player, John Barnes was joined by TCC’s founder and CEO Asif Hamid to cut the ribbon to the new 48,000 sq ft Kingsgate Building, situated in the Wirral Waters complex.

They were joined by the family of Claire Cain, who died of cancer in 1989 just a few weeks short of her 10th birthday and gave her name to Claire House Children’s Hospice, which opened its doors in Wirral in December, 1998.

In front of an audience of 200 VIPs and invited guests, Hamid said: “The opening of Kingsgate is a statement of our intent and our ambition.

“We now have 1,300 staff and people want to work here.”

“This is the future.”

He added: “We want to grow our turnover to £40m inside five years and we’re already looking for a third site.”

“Claire House Children’s Hospice is our chosen charity this year so Claire’s family were the perfect people to cut the ribbon to Kingsgate.”

“It was a very special day.”

The ceremony also included speeches from Wirral Council leader Phil Davies and Paula Basnett, CEO at Wirral Chamber of Commerce.

Pat Faragher, director of fundraising at Claire House, said: “It’s great that a fast-growing business like Wirral-based TCC has chosen Claire House Children’s Hospice as their charity partner for the year.

“We’re working with 197 children.”

“They’ve been diagnosed with terminal or life-shortening conditions.”

Claire’s parents Chris and Bobby and Sister Tracey Patton also planted a time capsule to commemorate TCC’s 10th anniversary, which will be opened in 2036.

Claire’s mother, Chris Cain said: “It’s was an honour to be asked to open the building and was even more of an honour to talk about Claire.

“To be talking about Claire 27 years after her death made me feel very proud.”

“Claire is the inspiration.”

The day started with a business breakfast debate about Brexit and was hosted by BusinessCloud editor Chris Maguire.

John Barnes, who is a close friend of Hamid, said Liverpool was a good place for business.

“I’ve lived in Liverpool for nearly 30 years and I’ve seen it grow, especially in the last five to 10 years,” he added.

“It has a lot to offer in terms of the River Mersey and the airport.”

“Where we are now in Birkenhead is just a mile from Liverpool city centre.”