A Black Country retail and logistics group which runs almost 300 Spar shops has added £120 million to its sales as it enjoys increased spending in the convenience store sector.

Willenhall-based AF Blakemore & Son, which was founded in 1917 as a grocery store and is now run by the third generation of the family, said the rise to £1.28 billion was encouraging in a year which had encountered many challenges.

The firm also said today that pre-tax profit had risen from £7.6 million to £9 million in the year to April 30, 2015.

AF Blakemore employs around 8,000 people and runs several divisions including logistics, design and shopfitting and wholesale distribution alongside its core retail business.

Managing director Peter Blakemore, who was ranked 43rd in the 2015 Birmingham Post Rich List, said: "These are encouraging results in a year when food retailing and wholesaling has encountered many challenges.

"Innovations have included our continued focus upon food service, fresh foods and food to go, which has included opening 19 Subways and three Greggs franchises, to enhance the retail offer to the consumer.

"Supermarkets have continued to attract lower sales while convenience stores have witnessed growth in both numbers and turnover.

"We have continued to attract new stores and we have invested considerable time and money to help our independent retailers develop their stores."

This was the first full year the group has benefited from the inclusion of BA Cash & Carry following its buyout in early 2014 while the current financial year has seen 162 new independent Spar stores join the group, 101 of which are based at Euro Garages sites.

Two per cent of the company's profits go into the Blakemore Foundation charitable trust with the remainder ploughed back into the business.