A MAN who went to work for a Richmond building firm straight from school has bought the company.

Graeme Newton officially took over Randall Orchard Construction, based on the Gallowfields trading estate, on December 9. The founder, Randall Orchard, will remain with the company for 15-18 months to help smooth the transition.

Mr Newton said: "I left Richmond School 18 years ago and came straight here. We have talked about my buying the business for a few years and it took over a year to finalise everything."

The company name is to be retained and no immediate changes are planned for the firm, which has several large commercial contracts on the go as well as its traditional house-building and conversion role.

It has already built 11 new medical centres, including Leyburn, Colburn and Aldbrough St John, and is due to complete a further six, including projects in North Wales, West Yorkshire and County Durham.

"We are still also doing a lot of bread and butter construction, such as barn conversions and houses," said Mr Newton, who bought the company for an undisclosed sum.

Mr Orchard established the company in 1976 when the late George Shaw, a builder for whom he had worked for 16 years, retired. The company moved from Rosemary Lane to the trading estate in 1986 and now employs 90.

Mr Newton's buyout was financed by Yorkshire Bank and Eversheds law firm drew up the deal