HELPHIRE has bought rival rental business Swift Rentacar for £25.2 million. Both firms target motorists in need of a car after an accident.

Cars are hired to accident victims and the costs recouped from insurers. Helphire is planning to place £40m of new shares to cover the acquisition and repay existing debts. The acquisition of Swift boosts its prestige fleet to 1,400 and takes the total number of Helphire cars to more than 8,000.