An online photographic retailer will be merged with a rival after being bought by a private equity firm.

Wex Photographic, based in Norwich, has been acquired by Aurelius from Barclays for an undisclosed sum and will now join with international camera seller Calumet Photographic.

EDP/EADT Top100 firm Wex is the UK's largest specialist online photographic retailer with an annual turnover of around £70m and half a million customers.

David Garratt, chief executive of Wex Photographic, said: 'The Wex team is very excited to be working alongside both Aurelius and the Calumet team to develop and expand our existing strategy for the business.

'The combined business will be able to offer customers a genuine multi-channel experience and, by leveraging Calumet's in-store expertise, significantly expand our leading online offering to a wider customer base in the UK.'

In the year to June 2015 Wex employed an average of 117 staff and it posted pre-tax profits of £693,608.

As well as its Drayton High Road showroom Wex has purchased London-based repair workshop Fixation.

Aurelius vice president Eric Blumenthal said the investment was testament to the private equity firm's dedication to investment in Britain post-Brexit.

He said: 'We are extremely pleased to announce this acquisition of Wex, a high-calibre business and Aurelius' second investment in the specialist photographic retail sector, following that of Calumet last year. This highly synergistic acquisition demonstrates Aurelius' commitment to supporting and scaling our initial investment in Calumet, and also testifies to our continued interest and dedication to investing in UK businesses, post-Brexit.'