Hampshire coach firm Lucketts has bolstered it board with the appointment of Sally Wassall as HR director.

Sally has been with the Hampshire-based company since last year as Head of HR and her promotion marks the first woman to join the Lucketts board.

The senior appointment comes as the family-owned firm sees its fastest period of growth in its 92-year history.

Last November the company acquired Solent Coaches, adding a further 12 coaches and more staff to its fleet. Then, in April, it acquired Mortons Travel, upping its number of employees to around 380 and its vehicle fleet to 175.

This week it reported an impressive £20m turnover, supported by record-breaking profit margins.

Managing Director Tony Lawman said: “The coach industry does have a reputation as a very male-dominated world so I’m pleased that Sally is here and flying the flag for women on our board. Her wealth of knowledge and expertise will be vital as we continue to expand and she’ll play a vital role in taking Lucketts to the next level.”

Sally said: “This is an exciting time to be joining the board at Lucketts. Supporting our staff to achieve their potential and help them deliver exceptional service is important to our ambitious growth plan and I’m looking forward to overseeing that as a director.”