INTERIM results for a Worcestershire brick manufacturer are ahead of expectations.

Baggeridge Brick has six factories across the West Midlands employing about 530 people, including two factories at Hartlebury, near Droitwich.

The company has had a good first half of the year with interim results to the end of March ahead of expectations.

Profit before tax was £1.8m for the first six months against a forecast of £1.7m.

Sales were up by nine per cent, to £23.1m, and operating profit was up by 93 per cent, to £1.98m.

"The improved performance was based on better market conditions, stable gas prices and no repeat of the disruption in production that occurred last year," said a spokesman.

"The group profit figure slightly masks the excellent performance in bricks, as operating profit in that area more than trebled to £1.85m."

The spokesman said market conditions were sustainable.

"The impact of improved market conditions has been important in generating this performance although the management has done extremely well to capitalise on those conditions.

"Housing volumes are rising slightly and the level of brick stocks has reduced creating shortages from time to time in certain lines. The main publicly quoted rivals in the UK industry have reported good trading conditions in the bricks market."