New group financial director

Martin Delaney has been appointed finance director of the Tom Barron Group, the expanding family farming business with interests from milk to quail and day-old chicks.

Mr Delaney joined the group, based at Catforth, near Preston, last summer when Tom Barron acquired Fayre Game, the UK's largest producer of quail and quail eggs, from the specialist food company Leathams plc.

He had joined Fayre Game in 1997 as its financial accountant and then became commercial director and also regional director for Leathams in the North West. Previously Mr Delaney, who is a qualified cost and management accountant, worked for Shell UK Chemicals for eight years in the Manchester area.

The Tom Barron Group has a long association with poultry breeding and milk production. Last year it acquired a joint venture company, Tom Barron ISA, gaining the sole UK and Irish distribution for ISA egg laying breeds, and also Clifton Dairies, the Lancashire milk supplier to retail and wholesale outlets and hospitals in the Fylde area. The company also owns Pennine Organics, providing farm and garden fertiliser products from poultry manure.