A RESCUE plan for a long-established Bolton engineering company is on course to pay dividends, says their new owners.

Last summer the Bolton News reported how Booth Industries, the Nelson Street based maker of blast doors, had been saved through a takeover by Metalcraft.

Part of the Avingrans group, bosses there saw potential in the 146-year-old enterprise, snapping it up for £1.8million after administrators had been called in.

Their faith was rewarded when it was announced in October that Booth had secured a £7.2million government contract.

And now in a trading update, delivered to the Stock Market, Avingtrans say the future for Booth, and another acquisition, appears healthy, with "strong order books already secured and healthy prospect pipelines".

A spokesman added: "With the group's support and guidance, these two businesses have been experiencing steadily improving performance trends, as they recuperate from previously constrained positions."

The firm, which is expected to reveal its half-yearly figures on February 26, also confirmed that it was happy with the way the companies had integrated into the group's wider operations.