SECURITY and surveillance group Petards remains upbeat despite a fall in first half revenues.

But the Gateshead company has seen profits jump to £22,000 from £5,000 a year ago and said that it had won contracts from blue chip customers that would push up income for the second half.

Although revenues dipped 10% to £4.7m for the six months to the end of June, Petards chairman Tim Wightman said that he remained “optimistic” about the future and said the firm was on track to meet forecasts for the year.