Support services group White Young Green this week said that last year’s takeover spree pushed half-year pre-tax profit up 44%.

The biggest driver was IMC Consulting, its social and economic regeneration business.

WYG’s pre-tax profit rose to £4.2m and chief executive John Purvis said the company had acquired two businesses last month for £3.6m in a bid to continue diversification.

The first was Robert Long Consultancy, a waste management firm, and the second was Wyn Thomas Gordon Lewis, a Welsh town planning and design consultancy.

Purvis said that the acquisition trail would continue. He added that organic growth had contributed 13% to the growth in profit, but the higher-margin work undertaken by IMC had been the biggest driver.

Turnover for the six months to 31 December rose 64% to £66m.

Shares rose slightly, up 3p to 284p, when the results were announced on Tuesday.