OUTDOOR wear retailer Blacks Leisure yesterday posted a rise in both turnover and profit for the year despite a sharp slump in sales last summer.

Total sales for the group increased 1.1 per cent to £297.2m, from £294m in 2005, but like-for-like sales decreased by 3.3 per cent in a tough retail environment.

Pretax profit for the year to February 28 rose five per cent, from £20.4m to £21.4m.

Blacks owns the Millets and FreeSpirit chains and the O'Neill brand, which has a distribution centre in Washington, Wearside, employing more than 100 people.

The Northampton-based group has opened 17 stores in the year and said it would continue with its store expansion programme.

Chairman David Bernstein said: "The Group has, once again, delivered both sales and profit growth, with a substantial 3.5 per cent improvement in gross margin.

"Although it is still early in the year and the key summer period is still to come, the board considers that the group has made a satisfactory start to the financial year."

Blacks has had a good start to the financial year, with like-for-like sales ahead by 2.1 per cent for the nine weeks to April 29.

The group yesterday announced the appointment of a finance director, Keith Fleming, who is the former managing director of Woolworths. Clive Sherling has also joined as a non-executive director.