ROYAL & Sun Alliance said profits from its UK business were flowing faster than a year ago as its trading comeback gathered pace.

The company said underwriting profits in the UK, where it owns the More Than brand and sells general insurance, were 61.2 per cent higher than a year ago at £79m.

More Than employs 680 people at a call centre in Sunderland. It has a further six call centres in other parts of the UK and one in Bangalore, India.

Progress was achieved against all its key performance measures in the UK, with growth of six per cent in written premiums for personal insurance and five per cent for commercial cover.

R&SA said it was delivering on its strategy after unveiling group operating profits of £329m in the past six months - up from £145m a year ago.

This was at the top of the range expected by analysts, with net written premiums totalling £2.9bn against £2.5bn at the same stage of 2004.

The insurer has focused on its position as the UK's second-largest general insurer since selling its closed life assurance fund for £850m last year.

Efforts to strengthen its balance sheet have included the closure of its final salary pension schemes, which was announced last week, and will reduce the deficit in the fund by £126m after tax.