Staff at the Bradford office of direct marketing firm Colleagues are celebrating after a management buy out.

Led by managing director Andrew Bennett, the company has been bought for an undisclosed sum from the Moore Group which purchased Colleagues for £25 million five years ago.

The business will retain its name and offices in Bath, Madrid, and Bradford, where it employs ten people, and operate on an employee stakeholder basis.

Marketing Services Director in Bradford, Nigel Cliffe, said ex-citing times lay ahead. "We would expect the buy out to lead to more opportunities for employment in Bradford, pulling in good local resources," he said.

"A few appointments are already being made and we ex-pect that to continue over the year. We've got a super building with lots of space and plenty of room for expansion."

With an annual turnover of more than £50 million, Colleagues in one of the UK's leading direct marketing firms.

Established near Bradford Road's junction with the M606, in Cleckheaton, 18 months ago, the focus for the local office will now be on providing marketing and production services. Mr Cliffe said the buyout had given everyone a lift - especially the decision to give staff shares.