A Brighouse company is expecting to see a rise in turnover after investing in a piece of technology unseen before in the UK.

Ploughcroft Building Services invested £70,000 in a cherry picker, small and nimble enough, they claim, to reach the parts other cherry pickers cannot reach.

The Italian-made vehicle-mounted access platform is the first of its kind to be used in the UK and is on track to boost the company's turnover by 30 per cent.

The machinery is currently being used in Ashton-Under-Lyne to fix exterior facia panels to a new Ikea store.

The firm had to provide specialist training to one of its staff members, Stepney Calvert, so that she can use the machinery.

Miss Calvert said: "The cherry picker is a very clever piece of kit on a number of fronts.

"The platform is mounted on a small vehicle with a 3.5 tonne chassis and works within its own footprint so the arm doesn't stick out when folded.

"This means it can be used in lots of tight spots that are not accessible with other access platforms."

Ploughcroft Building Services now employs 21 staff and specialises in domestic and commercial building, roofing and maintenance work throughout the north.