The retailing arm of a major energy provider has doubled in size, after acquiring a similar business.

Its acquisition of ShopElectric makes Northern Retail Limited the UK's fourth largest electrical retailer, with a £100m turnover.

The company, which was formed last August by bosses of Newcastle-based Northern Electric's retail division, bought the chain from 3I's Viridian and an MBI team for an undisclosed sum.

ShopElectric operates 29 high street shops and six superstores throughout Northern Ireland, and its turnover last year was more than £50m.

To reflect the common values of the two companies, both will continue to operate under their own names, under a new holding firm called ShopElectric Group plc.

David Crompton, group managing director of the newly formed ShopElectric Group, said: "Whilst this acquisition came early in our own business development, the synergies and common heritage of the businesses meant that this was an unmissable opportunity for us to develop the value added focus that we have applied to Northern Electric's shops since our buy-out.

"Together, we are able to provide a better service for all our customers.

"Now that we have achieved £100m turnover, we are the fourth largest electrical retailer in the country, helped by our award winning website pluggiedn.co.uk."

Northern Retail currently operates 17 high street stores and 11 superstores across Yorkshire and the North-East.

The combined group's total will be 46 high street stores and 17 superstores, including the ShopElectric branches in Northern Ireland.

A spokesman for Viridian said: "Viridian has a policy of sticking to its core competencies and whilst this disposal represented good value for our shareholders, we were also pleased that we were able to find a purchaser who was committed to Northern Ireland jobs, and thereby our local economy."

David Strachan of Eversheds, who handled the transaction, said: "We were pleased to support Northern Retail in their management buy-out last year, and were struck by the similarities in the businesses in acting in the acquisition."