NORTH Yorkshire Timber (NYT) has achieved its best monthly sales figure in the company's 28- year history of £1.4m.

The record income is part of increased trading across all NYT's six sales centres in Ripon, Richmond and Northallerton, in North Yorkshire, and Middlesbrough, Darlington and Sunderland, which are expected to add £2m to last year's turnover of £13m. It is also helped by the performance of County Durham-based builders' merchants Ward and Naylor, which NYT acquired last year.

NYT, which employs about 140 people, has also recently invested £100,000 to improve its Sunderland site, which it predicts could lead to future growth.

Nick Kershaw, sales and marketing director, said: "The continued growth in an increasingly competitive market is based on commitment to providing excellent service, the quality of the product range and reliability on deliveries.

"We're stocking more builders' merchants products as well as timber so our customers can get all they need in one place. "

NYT has also expanded its range by selling natural stone paving to complement the fencing and decking ranges.

"It's a logical extension to our products for builders and DIY projects, and we have the sole rights to distribute this particular range in the North-East," said Mr Kershaw.