COULD Butt-Ugly Martians lead members of RICH to the promised land?

The facially challenged cartoon aliens are included in the list of visual media programmes marketed by the Just Group in whom our intrepid members of Ridings investment Club Holdings are putting their faith - and their money. And not for the first time. This band of successful executives and former executives from Nestle invested in Just in 1999 - and when profits soared by 240 per cent they quit while they were ahead.

Now they have been lured back by fabulous profits announcements (see panel) to buy in at 11p per share. Of course, like all investments it could have turned butt-ugly, but in fact rose by twopence within a week. "Just in time," quips RICH chairman Jim Porteous.

Meanwhile at the meeting which decided to return to Just, RICH members learned that the value of their units tweaked up infinitesimally, from £2.70 to £2.72, but at least this was in the opposite direction to the FTSE index which continues to drop.

Clearly, the ruthless clearout of duff stocks in January helped, but so too did the contribution made by Jarvis, the York-based facilities management specialist and Railtrack contractor.

Where RICH bought in to Jarvis at £1.82 four months ago, its price had now soared to £2.95 buoyed by the fact that the company is in pole position to benefit from increased infrastructure spending by Railtrack.

"Who says it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good?" says Jim. "Railtrack's problems are certainly blowing Jarvis some good - and us!"

Interestingly, the members agreed to sell should the stock fall to £2.70, protecting the profit. Other stop losses were set for Medisys at £1, Slough Estates at £4.15, Arcadia at £1.30, Dixon Motors at £1.70, with ARM maintained at £4.50.