A KIDDERMINSTER carpet boss has quit spearheading a top firm less than a year after it took over one of the town's largest carpet companies.

Mike Hield has resigned as chief executive of Gaskell - the Lancashire firm which took over Tomkinsons, of Kidderminster, in a £12.2 million deal last year.

His departure comes in the wake of a fall in profits.

However, Gaskell insisted Mr Hield's leaving was amicable and said he had left to pursue "other career opportunities".

The carpet group's half-year results showed pre-tax profits had fallen from £1.8 to £1.41 million.

However, turnover was boosted by 46 per cent to £37.9 million.

A group statement said: "The inevitable disruption caused by the merger, combined with a more competitive trading background in some market segments, adversely affected the overall performance of the group in the first half of the year."

Tomkinsons turnover in the period was seven per cent lower than in 1999.

The company encountered disruption in the first half of 2000 due to the closure of its Bloxham site and the transfer of additional production and distribution activity from Gaskell into its Kidderminster and mid-Wales yarns operations.

Mr Hield, who was formerly chief executive at Tomkinsons for eight years, will be replaced by Gerry Wheeler, MD of the firm's Bamber Carpets subsidiary.