STOBART Group has completed a £37m deal to sell 47 acres of investment property at Speke, in Liverpool, to Ford.

Ford had an option to purchase the site as part of a lease arrangement signed it March.

The sale represents a good return for Carlisle Airport-owner Stobart, which paid only £15.6m to acquire the property, valued at £25.2m on the company's balance sheet.

Chief executive Andrew Tinkler said: "We are very pleased to have realised further value and generated significant profits from our investment property portfolio with a transaction that demonstrates the hidden value within our infrastructure and investment divisions."