ROBERT Stoker, a partner at Ricksons Solicitors, Manchester, acted for adidas on the extension of its sponsorship deal with AC Milan and Brazil midfield star Kaka. Robert also advised Preston North End on its shirt sponsorship with support services company Enterprise.

GARY Houghton and Nigel Brown led corporate finance teams at accountants Baker Tilly and solicitors Halliwells respectively, who advised a Bolton-based debt advice company on its flotation on the Alternative Investment Market. Debtmatters, which grew out of the insolvency practitioners Ratcliffe & Co, raised £3m to give it a market value of £16m. Its chairman is Noel Guilford, 52, who chairs the Institute of Directors' north west region.

PETER Jones led a team at Manchester accountancy firm Chadwick who advised Access Intelligence, an AIM-listed business, on the acquisition of Ridgeway Technologies, the owner of Chorley-based IT business Willow Starcom. Access has agreed to pay £700,000 initially and up to £1.1m if Willow meets performance targets.

PHIL Adams led a team at Manchester investment bank Altium Capital who advised Derbyshire-based Ennstone on the sale of non-core engineering businesses operated by Johnston Group. Ennstone acquired Johnston for £48.3m last year and has now sold its European, Australian and US operations for a total of £26m. Tweet