PR COMPANY NP is the top performing agency in the UK, according to industry magazine PR Week.

NP bucked the national trend, which saw a marked downturn in the fortunes of the PR industry in the UK, with seven of the top ten agencies in the league posting either no growth or negative growth.

NP is one of only two North-East agencies to be ranked in the PR Week Top 150 published on audited results, the other being DTW, of Teesside.

NP was officially ranked the eighth fastest growing agency in the UK. It increased its fee income by 32 per cent, winning a handful of national brands last year.

Formed in 1994, by chairman Helen Hargrove and managing director Nick Brown, NP has also appeared in the Top 150 in each of the past five years.

Managing director Nick Brown, said: "NP has had a very successful last 12 months, winning national contracts with organisations such as the British Army, Fitness First, NFU and the DTI."

"The PR Week Top 150 is the industry barometer as it is based on actual audited results, not spin and hype."