UK buyout firm 3i Group has taken on more debt in the last five months after a period of deleveraging, but this should not be seen as a return to the heavy borrowing which triggered difficulties at the group in the financial crisis.

3i said in a pre-close statement (for the five months to the end of August) today that it had continued to increase its net debt this year - this has risen to £450m at the end of August, from £258m in its results in March.