A lighting retailer has topped Insider's rankings of the North West's top 100 fastest growing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which also features strong showings from several private equity-backed companies across Greater Manchester and Merseyside.

This year's Insider Growth 100, which ranks companies based on turnover growth, is led by Eccles-based lighting and bulbs retailer LSE Retail Group which has reported average annual growth of 207 per cent. That puts it well ahead of second-placed Wrengate, the Heaton Mersey-based textiles wholesaler, which posted 130 per cent growth and third-placed Engenda, the Runcorn-headquartered engineering services provider, which achieved 103 per cent growth.

Another notable company to make the cut was Liverpool-headquartered financial advice firm Wealth at Work at 16th overall with 59 per cent growth. Mid-market private equity firm Equistone completed the £50m management buyout of Wealth at Work from Palatine in August 2015, with Palatine reinvesting for a minority stake alongside Equistone.

Also on the list is Macclesfield-based pet food maker MPM Products, which comes in 17th with growth of 56 per cent. Mid-market private equity firm ECIbought a majority stake in the company in a deal worth approximately £50m in March 2016.

Meanwhile, Manchester-headquartered Barburrito lands at 34th with growth of 39 per cent. Business Growth Fund first invested in Barburrito in April 2012, initially committing £3.25m of growth capital to fund an active roll-out programme.

Barburrito has almost doubled its number of outlets in the last 18 months and has a current run rate of £14m.

Morgan Davies, chief executive of Barburrito, said: "When we reached ten stores, we realised we had nailed the concept and entered a period of stability and consolidation. The Business Growth Fund investment allowed us to really kick-start the rapid expansion."

In November 2015, meanwhile, Barburrito gained a foothold in Scotland by buying Pinto Mexican Kitchen which had five restaurants in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Davies said: "We can reach 50 stores no problem, but we have to be careful to expand at a manageable pace. We started the race but see it as a marathon, not a sprint."

For the full version of the Insider Growth 100 rankings and detailed profiles of Barburrito, nursery operator Kids Planet and machinery manufacturer Cygnet which all make the list, check out the March 2016 edition of the North West Business Insider magazine.