A BILBOROUGH wholesale business has bought a Yorkshire rival.

SERT UK, which employs 35 people at its Glaisdale Drive East base, specialises in household and health and beauty goods.

The £75m-turnover company has taken over M&S Toiletries of Wakefield, which supplies independent retailers and chemists.

Sabir Tayub, managing director of SERT, said the acquisition of M&S, which employs 140 people, from Scottish and Midland Co-operative Society would boost the firm's expansion plans.

He said: "This has been a rare opportunity to acquire a well-run, profitable company. We have already invested £250,000 in a new computer system."

SERT is part of Artrade Holdings, a national wholesaler. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Rick Wilson, corporate finance partner at PKF in Nottingham who advised SERT, said: "At a time when there is a lower level of deal activity it is encouraging to be involved in a deal which sees a local company seize the opportunity to grow."

SERT's other advisers included John Haycox from Lloyds TSB and Andrew Borkowski from law firm Geldards.