Laura Ashley, the international retailer of English country style from frocks to furniture, is seeking divine help for its earthly problems by appointing Mr Pat Robertson, the US evangelist, as a non-executive director.

Mr Robertson, prominent TV preacher and former seeker of a Republican presidential nomination, owns two million shares in the company. He will help in its effort to overcome years of seemingly intractable difficulties which a string of chief executives has failed to solve.

A new chief executive, Mr Kwan Cheong Ng, was appointed yesterday, taking the total to eight since the group listed on the stock market in 1985.