Water company bosses saw their pay packets rocket by up to 94 per cent last year.

The directors of Yorkshire Water parent company, Kelda Group, received huge pay rises and shared in performance-related bonuses of £248,000 last year.

Among the biggest beneficiaries was John O'Kane, group finance director, 43, with a £49,000 bonus and £144,000 salary.

His total pay packet of £206,000 is up 94 per cent from the £106,000 he was paid in the previous year.

Kevin Whiteman, managing director of Yorkshire Water Services, received a £53,000 bonus and £154,000 salary as part of a £221,000 total pay packet, up 92 per cent from the £115,000 salary he received last year.

Executive chairman John Napier received a £83,000 bonus and a £250,000 salary. His total pay package, including benefits, was worth £337,000, up 34 per cent on last year's total salary.

James Newman, deputy chief executive received a £63,000 bonus and £180,000 salary as part of a £267,000 package, up 12 per cent on last year's salary.

The payments were handed to the directors after the group, which is based on Halifax Road, saw profits rise by 26 per cent to £197.1m. Kelda, which has assets of £1.8bn and employs around 3,000 people, is the parent company of Yorkshire Water.

Mr Napier said one of the reasons for the profit growth had been a strong performance from Yorkshire Water.

He said: "I am pleased to report on a year of sound achievement. The financial results, standards of service and quality and overall environmental performance continue to improve reflecting the benefits of our strategic focus on water and waste water interests."

Yorkshire Water is now one of the ten largest water companies in the world, serving more than 4.5 million people and 140,000 businesses.

Kelda also owns the US water supply business Aquarion - one of the ten largest investor-owned water utilities in the US - which supplies 52 communities in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Kelda's other interests include a 46 per cent stake in Waste Recycling Group plc.