Car chain JCT600 is claiming a successful year's trading despite troubles in the motor industry.

The dealerships have increased its turnover by one per cent, to £242 million, in the last 12 months.

Like-for-like profits, however, at £4.3 mil-lion, were 15 per cent down from the pre-vious year. The firm says almost half of that decline was due to reduced profits on sale of contract hire returned vehicles, brought about by a fall in residual values.

Commenting on a year in which the Government's in-quiry into new car prices created some market instability, JCT600's chairman, Jack Tordoff, said: "I am pleased with how we have faced up to the challenge of these very difficult market conditions.

"Our results look good in comparison with the rest of the industry and our re-turn on sales is still way ahead of most motor groups.

The firm has en-joyed increased trad-ing profits for the first quarter of this year.