FASHION magnate Tom Singh is among the rich Dorset residents to see their wealth rise in 2013, according to new rankings.

The founder of Weymouth-based New Look and landowner the Hon Charlotte Townsend lead the way in the newly published Sunday Times Rich List for the South West.

Others with Dorset connections in the top 20 include businessmen Andrew Brownsword and Michael Cannon.

The Sunday Times Rich List, by Ian Coxon and Philip Beresford, are due out this weekend.

Mr Beresford said the rich were getting richer because they had strong assets and holdings.

“The rich on this list are the ones who have always had choice assets.

“They have land like Charlotte Townshend or strong companies that have survived very well.

“We have lost the flakey ones from 2009. These are the survivors.”

Mr Beresford added: “They have a moral duty now to think about their less fortunate brethren and what they can do in terms of creating more jobs and in terms of upping their charitable giving.”

Mrs Townshend, who lives near Dorchester, led the way for Dorset in the top ten for the south west.

She kept her eighth place in 2013 but was also the richest woman on the list for the region.

Mrs Townshend saw her personal wealth shoot up by £25million compared with 2012 from £350million to £375million.

She was 238th in the national rankings.

She has an estimated 15,000 acres of land in Dorset with farming and estate companies, plus 20 acres of property in affluent Holland Park in west London and other parts of the country.

Her Ilchester estate, which she inherited in 1990, includes parts of Chesil Beach as well as Abbotsbury Swannery.

New Look giant Tom Singh and family shot up two places from 12th in 2012 to tenth in 2013 on the south west table.

His personal wealth is estimated to have risen by £50million from £270 in 2012 to £320m in 2013.

It places him joint 268th in the national table.

Andrew Brownsword also saw his personal fortune and standing increase. A £35m rise in his bank balance from £210m to £245m shot him up the table from 19th in 2012 to 14th in 2013.

Mr Brownsword derives his fortune from greetings cards and hotels. He lives in Bath but is the benefactor behind the Brownsword Hall at Poundbury in Dorchester.

Brewer and entrepreneur Michael Cannon saw his position in the top 20 fall from 16th to 14th but his fortune stayed the same at £240m.

Mr Cannon, formerly of Poxwell Manor, near Osmington, headed up both Weymouth-based Devenish and Dorchester- based Eldridge Pope breweries.

He sold Weymouth-based Devenish Brewery to Greenalls for £26 million in 1993.

Mr Cannon also sold the Magic Pub Company to Greene King for £198 million in 1996.

Mr Cannon later netted about a chunk of the £155.1 million sale of Eldridge Pope to Marstons in 2007.

Household goods entrepreneur Sir James Dyson and family again topped the south west rich list with a £3,000m fortune in 2013 –up from £2,650 in 2012 – but was just 23rd nationally.

Sir Henry Keswick, whose wealth lies in property, retailing and hotels, was again second in the south west with a £2,375 million fortune.

Peter Hargreaves was third with £1,523 million, Steve Lansdown fourth with £900m and Lord Vestey and family fifth with £750m.