A Bradford textile company is poised for a lucrative windfall from the success of the latest blockbusting Spider-Man 2 film.

Tex UK has been awarded a licence to use images from the record-breaking film on household goods such as bedlinen, towels and other items.

By the end of the year it will have sold in excess of a quarter of a million items featuring the superhero.

The success of the Spider-Man phenomenon - along with other film and TV themes - has given Tex UK a buoyant outlook, so much so that the company is now expanding its 45-strong workforce.

The firm, which relocated to the Euroway Trading Estate, Bradford, from Leeds 18 months ago, took a gamble on Spider-Man before the first film was released two years ago.

Tex UK's marketing and licensing manager Dean Greasley said that after the success of the licence for the first Spider-Man film, the company then bought a licence to bridge the gap until the release of the follow-up.

From this month, retailers and mail order companies supplied by Tex UK will feature designs from the new blockbuster, he said.

And it has led to the company working flat-out to re-package the items produced in Portugal and Spain.

"It's very time-sensitive - we only get one chance at this," said Mr Greasley.

"We can't exactly ask Sony to delay the launch so we have to maximise sales now and when it launches the video and DVD.

"It's good for us because it creates demand for mail order clients and generates longevity for the licence."

Securing the licence in the first place required a steady nerve and solid bank balance since "very significant" amounts of money were involved, usually half up front, said Mr Greasley.

"We have to make a huge commitment and pay a guarantee even if the film's a flop," he said.

That is unlikely in this case and Mr Greasley's verdict after a special preview of the film, starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, is: "It's absolutely fantastic."

And all this has given the company confidence to invest in a licence for the Spider-Man 3 film, which is almost certain to follow.

The company also has licences to use other well-known brands including Shrek, Barbie, and The Tweenies.

Until the success of Spider-Man, the firm's biggest line had been Bob the Builder.

Spider-Man 2 goes on general release on Thursday.