PROFITS at Burnley-based boohoo.com have ballooned over a successful 12 months, it has been revealed.

Bosses at the fashion giant, which has a major presence at Heasandford, have seen pre-tax profits leap from £15.7million in 2015-16 to £30.9million over the last year.

The firm took over the PrettyLittleThing and Nasty Gal brands early this year.

Sales in the US have provided a significant platform for the online retailer, with Stateside orders rising by 140 per cent year-on-year.

The UK performance was up by around a third, in Europe by half and 42 per cent in the rest of the world.

In a joint statement, chief executive officers Mahmud Kamani and Carol Kane said: “It has been a momentous year for us, with strong results and the acquisitions of PrettyLittleThing on January 3 and the Nasty Gal brand on February 28.

“Both brands have huge potential and the acquisitions represent a step change in the size, structure and operation of the group.

“We are confident that our expertise combined with the strength and following of our new complementary brands will greatly enhance the group’s future growth and profitability.”

The company headquarters is in the old garment district in Manchester but its largest operation is its Widow Hill Road factory in Burnley, which employs around 1,600 people.

Another 1,000 employees are expected to join their ranks once a second warehouse facility is constructed on adjoining land.

Mr Kamania and Ms Kane added: “The boohoo brand has achieved outstanding revenue growth and increased profitability margins during the year.

“We continued to grow strongly in the UK, our largest market, whilst international growth exceeded our expectations, particularly in the USA."

The company also appears to have weathered the storm over the Channel 4 Dispatches investigation into working practices at the sprawling Burnley site which was aired last year.