The trade arm of East Anglian retailer Hughes Electrical has announced a record year, with turnover breaking the £20m mark as the company grew by 23%.

Hughes Trade now operates from 14 branches across the country with 50 employees.

It has plans to open two new branches this year, and has relocated its Cambridge operation to larger premises in Huntingdon.

Hughes Trade general manager Paul Chisnall said: 'This is another part of the continuing growth of the business. Last year was a record for us built on giving great service to new and existing customers both at home and overseas. We also opened new branches in Leeds and Leicester.

'We have seen a particularly large growth in our rental business because it offers so many advantages such as managing cash flow and taking the worry out of anything going wrong, while for many businesses it is also 100% tax deductible.'