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The lockdown gardening boom helped Dungannon-based Westland Horticulture increase pre-tax profits by 42% in 2020.

Profits for the year ending August 2020 rose from £10.2m to £14.5m on sales of £208m.

The directors' report said "there has been increased demand for horticulture products" as a result of the pandemic.

Other businesses across the gardening sector have also seen a strong performance in the last year.

With people largely confined to their homes and gardens during lockdown, spending was driven towards gardening and DIY.

Westland supplies a variety of garden products including compost, seeds and wild bird food.

It operates from several sites across the UK and Europe, employing about 750 people.

Its annual report said that it did have to temporarily close some facilities during the first lockdown and moved some head office functions to remote working.

It said the business has been performing satisfactorily in 2021.