A TEAM from North-East law firm Ward Hadaway helped lead a £30m buyout of an engineering consultancy.

Entec UK Limited, one of the UK's largest environmental and engineering firms, was the subject of a management buyout (MBO) last month from Durham-based Northumbrian Water Group.

The MBO was led by managing director Simon Armes-Reardon, commercial director Douglas Morton and finance director Barry Canfield.

A 14-strong team from Ward Hadaway, along with Deloitte Corporate Finance in Newcastle, advised the management team and helped to organise both the acquisition and the debt and equity funding. Chris Rigg, assistant director of corporate finance at Deloitte, said: "Now that the MBO has been completed, we expect to see Entec continue its progress.

"The company has real growth potential and we are pleased to have been involved in helping take these key steps towards realising it."

Entec has grown considerably since it was formed in 1989, following privatisation of the water industry.

When it began, it had an engineering design team of 80 and a turnover of about £4m. In the year to March 31, turnover was £42m and it currently employs 700 staff and associates in 37 disciplines working from offices around the country.