STOCK WATCH

A SUCCESSFUL trial of its sea lice treatment caused shares in animal health and genetics firm Benchmark to surge.

The company jumped 3.8pc, or 2p, to 55p after its Ectosan treatment was found to get rid of all traces of sea lice, a parasite that can deplete salmon stocks.

Benchmark also has a successful Clean Treat system that removes all Ectosan medicinal particles from the water to ensure the water is contamination-free when it is discharged back into the ocean.