A PET food manufacturer in North Yorkshire has seen turnover increase 60 per cent to £12m in the last year.

Wagg Foods, in Thirsk, which sells dry dog and small animal food to stores across the UK, puts its success down to more than £4m worth of investment in its factories over the past two-and-a-half years.

In that time, the firm, which has two factories at the Dalton Airfield Industrial Estate, has seen employee numbers double to about 45.

Company director Tom Page said: "We have seen turnover jump from £7.5m last year to £12m this year. We have made some large investments over the past two to three years, opening a new factory and buying better machinery for the old one.

"Our strategy for the next 12 months is to further strengthen and develop our brand and market positioning."

Wagg Foods produces more than 20,000 tonnes of dog food each year and a further 10,000 tonnes of guinea pig, hamster, gerbil and rabbit food, which it sells to stores such as Morrison's, Tesco, Asda, Pets At Home, and a range of independent shops and garden centres.

Mr Page said: "The dog food market is constantly changing and the past few years have seen an increase in the dry dog food sector."