A YOUNG entrepreneur has completed a major takeover that will secure the future of one of the area's best known farming suppliers.

From this week 28-year-old David Sunderland will be the new man at the helm of Lindley Pate (Gisburn) Limited.

Established in 1912, it has a long history of serving the farming community and is a major distribution outlet for for Williams trailers.

Mr Sunderland is the owner of the Gateway Auctions Ltd which operates next to the Lindley Pate site just off the A59 in Gisburn.

David said: "We intend to operate the business, as it has been for 95 years, as agricultural merchants serving both the local and national agricultural industry.

"There is some land coming with the business that hasn't been developed. This means we can increase the yard space by 50 per cent and we are also putting in a proper access road to replace the old one that is a bit rough."

One of the first things David intends to do is give a face-lift to the showroom and trade counter, put in place a new entrance to the premises and a create dedicated trailer sales area.

There will also be a website created to allow customers to buy products online.

As part of the management team to replace the outgoing directors, David has appointed Lee Ashton as a group operations director who will look after the day to day running of the business. Lee comes to the business from a similar role at Padiham based Hepworth Pipe Products.

Brought up in Longridge, David has assured traditional customers that the business will continue to serve them.

David added: "Lindley Pate is a well respected business and a lot of this is thanks to the quality staff who are key to the businesses future, their experience is second to none and they are all the biggest asset of this business.

"Also key to the business' long term future is our existing customer base who we realise are very important to us and we understand that we most maintain the already very high standard of customer service."

A Lindley Pate spokesman said: "The company will retain almost all the same experienced members of staff who have put in many years of loyal service to the business."