Hunter is cleaning up

SQUEAKY clean first-half results at air and water filter specialist Domnick Hunter gave the shares a puff. They rose 17 1/2p to 389 1/2p.

Chairman Brian Thompson said the 'necessity for greater cleanliness' for consumers and industry helped pre-tax profits rise 16% to £5.7m. The dividend rose 5% to 4p.

Hunter filters wine and mineral water for bottling. It is also in talks with the military in the UK, continental Europe and the US on its air-filtering system for combat tanks.

About 17% of sales come from the UK, where it employs 750 people at its Durham plant.

Thompson said Hunter has 'considerable potential' to grow. It now sells to more than 70 countries and has a worldwide workforce of 1,400.