HAMPERS and home shopping group Fine Art Developments delivered a profits boost today.

The firm, which employs hundreds at its East Lancashire sites including Express Gifts, reported operating profits up 13 per cent to £27.9 million in the year to March 31.

In the first full year figures since Fine Art and Creative Publishing split into two, chairman Keith Chapman described as a "satisfactory performance".

The home shopping division, which includes Express Gifts, saw profits rise by 16 per cent to £14.7 million.

The firm said it has met a target to increase its customer base to 840,000 and that it was continuing to look for work to carry out for other companies to use up spare capacity at the Accrington site.

"Although for most of the group's activities this is the quietist time of the year in terms of trading, nevertheless it is pleasing to be able to report that sales in each of the three divisions during the past six weeks have been well ahead of last year," said Mr Chapman.

Shareholders will receive a dividend of 7.75p, up five per cent.

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