	31 March 2009 £Millions	31 March 2008 (restated) £Millions
CONTINUING OPERATIONS
REVENUE	44.1	21.7
OPERATING PROFIT/(LOSS)	1.8	(1.7)
EARNINGS BEFORE INTEREST, TAXATION, DEPRECIATION AND AMORTISATION	3.4	0.0
PROFIT/(LOSS) FOR THE PERIOD	0.8	(5.9)
NET DEBT	16.5	13.5
EARNINGS/(LOSS) PER SHARE:
Basic	2.7p	(20.7)p
Continuing operations	1.9p	(5.3)p

Revenue up 103%
Return to profitability in first half of 2009
Continuing operating activities generated cash of £4.1m
Significant US DoD and UK MoD orders secured in the period
Protection & Defence order book closed at £85m
Loss making UK mixing business divested
Decision to outsource European Dairy manufacturing

Commenting on the results, Peter Slabbert, Chief Executive said:

“Avon has made significant progress during the first half of 2009. The Group has returned to profit, and importantly has secured significant additional orders from both the US DoD and the UK MoD which have added to the Protection & Defence order book. Our Dairy business has continued to be profitable and cash generative. We have taken difficult but necessary decisions to reduce costs in our UK Dairy business by moving production to the Czech Republic. Our Cadillac facility is now making good progress towards optimum efficiency. Our order book is growing in all markets across the world and we have increasing confidence that our business will continue to grow.“

Next: Interim management report