TWO key acquisitions have been made by recycling and waste management company Yorwaste to strengthen its presence on the East Coast.

Yorwaste already provides a wide range of recycling and waste management services to local authorities, businesses and residents throughout York and North Yorkshire. Now the Northallerton-based company has acquired "for a substantial but undisclosed sum" Marcus Richardson Waste Management and Marcus Richardson (Environmental Services) Limited, of Whitby.

The deals, which involve the transfer of more than 20 jobs, see founder Marcus Richardson staying with his former businesses for a short transitional period.

Under the terms of the acquisitions, in which Yorwaste was advised by Andrew Lindsay, a partner at York-based lawyers Denison Till, Yorwaste bought the business and assets of domestic and commercial waste collection business. Marcus Richardson Waste Management, which Mr Richardson ran in partnership with his wife, Jane.

It also acquired the share capital of waste collection and recycling business Marcus Richardson (Environmental Services) Limited, also on Whitby's Fairfield Industrial Estate.