SUPPORT services-to-construction group Carillion was upbeat about its future after unveiling a record forward order book.

Carillion, originally part of aggregates group Tarmac, said the order book had leapt by 30 per cent to £5.2bn.

More than 80 per cent of the orders are for investments and businesses services, areas Carillion is seeking to grow, while 75 per cent is for next year and beyond.

Chairman Sir Neville Simms said the outlook for the Wolverhampton company was "encouraging".

He said: "We have leading positions in all our main markets, which overall are expected to grow."

The upbeat message came as Carillion posted healthy figures for the year to December 31.

Turnover edged ahead from £1.69bn to £1.70bn, while profits before tax and one-off costs rose eight per cent to £45.1m. Bottom-line pre-tax profits jumped from £13m to £35m.

The group said it had benefited from increasing its focus on services and public private partnerships (PPP).

Turnover in its investments arm, which covers PPP, leapt from £25.8m to £43.9m after four projects moved from construction to operation, with Carillion receiving payments for the services it provides.

The group was also selected as preferred bidder to provide accommodation and sports facilities at the University of Hertfordshire.

A facilities management contract with BT and a five-year rail maintenance deal for the West Coast Mainline lifted its business services unit.

But its construction arm posted a ten per cent fall in turnover because of the sale of Carillion Housing and a policy to curtail civil engineering activities.