The engineering group Amec Foster Wheeler, which has a major presence in Warrington, has seen its pre-tax losses more than double to £542 million.

The company, which was acquired by Aberdeen-based energy-services company Wood Group for more than £2.2 billion earlier this year, reports that its revenues remained “stable” at £5.44 billion, as a result of exceptional items.

Chief executive Jon Lewis said that its full-year trading performance (to 31 March) was “robust”.

He added: “We benefitted from the breadth of our business — especially the record performance from our solar-power division — cost-saving actions and the fall in sterling in the second half of the year. We expect another year of decline in oil and gas activity in 2017.”