The weaker housing market in the middle of last year led to a decline in half-year profits at housebuilder Beazer.

These are the last set of results before the group is taken over by Persimmon.

Beazer showed pre-tax profits for the six months to December 31 dipped to £32.8 million, compared with £39.8 million at the same point last year.

The slower housing market during the summer and autumn of last year led to a 12 per cent fall in the number of completions, although average selling prices rose nine per cent to £104,600.

Turnover was also lower, at £349.8 million, against £365.5 million last time round.

A one-off cost of £1.7 million relating to Beazer's abortive merger with builder Bryant impacted on the figures.

Beazer and Bryant announced merger plans in December, with the intention of creating one of the UK's largest housebuilding groups, called Domus.

But the merger was gatecrashed by Taylor Woodrow's £556 million takeover of Bryant.

This was followed by York-based Persimmon's £558 million swoop on Beazer.