AN Ayrshire egg producer expects to double annual sales to £1.2 million after boosting capacity with support from HSBC.

Mauchline-based Chalmerston Farm Eggs has increasd its stock of birds to 52,000 from 20,000 paving the way for dramatic increases in production and sales.

Owned by the Robb family, the farm business expects to produce and process around 16m eggs a year.

The new hens are housed in a £1.1m free range poultry shed. The company drew on a seven figure funding package from HSBC bank to fund the shed.

It has recruited an additional employee to work in the new shed, taking the total number of staff to three.

Joint owner Billy Robb said: "We are an ambitious business and have a clear view on where we expect the business to be in the coming years. HSBC acted quickly to see how they could help us."

Mr Robb said HSBC understood the dynamics of the marketplace and the need to have flexible production facilities on a suitable scale.

Rodney Wallace, HSBC's agriculture director in South West Scotland, said the funding would help the Chalmerston Farm Eggs consolidate its position as one of Scotland's leading producers.

He added: "We have a strong appetite to support the growth of ambitious mid-market Scottish businesses like Chalmerston Farm Eggs."