Shares in Salisbury-based life insurance and investment company Friends Provident, the main sponsor for the Saints, rallied from an all-time low after it said it had rounded off the year with its best ever quarter.

The company, which demutualised and floated in 2001, posted an 11 per cent increase in new life and pensions premiums to £1.74 billion in 2002.

Chief executive Keith Satchell said the growth had been achieved across its markets of savings and investment, life insurance and pensions.

The update provided much-needed cheer for investors who have seen shares in Friends Provident fall to 87.25p.

Friends is due to provide a fuller update on its trading performance in annual results on March 5.