Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe looks the part in his latest swashbuckling film role, thanks to a Haworth company.

The flashing gold epaulettes and gold lace on his 18th century naval uniform have been made by Wyedean Weaving.

The blockbuster movie Master and Commander is awash with the ribbon, specially commissioned from the family firm.

Not only the uniform's epaulettes, but also the gold lace down the front of tunics, on boots and down the side of breeches have been produced by the company in Bridgehouse Mill.

Crowe got so carried away in his role, regularly getting a dousing, that Wyedean had to send replacement epaulettes.

Managing director Robin Wright and project manager Debra Kelly had to research Royal Naval history of the late 18th century to make sure they got it right.

"There are plenty of experts out there who would be quick to point out any mistakes," said Mr Wright, whose father established the firm in Haworth 40 years ago.

"We had to go right back into the records, especially relating to the Royal Marines, because in 1796, when the film is set, the Marines were in their infancy.

"It couldn't look brand new so we had to age the lace - we used our tried and tested method of dyeing the material in tea."

"The main problems came from damage caused during filming the action scenes, which meant they had to re-order from us at very short notice."

Master and Commander was not the firm's first Hollywood commission.

The company produced combat uniform regalia for actors in Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers and lace for Pirates of the Caribbean, starring Johnny Depp.

More recently Wyedean has supplied sashing for the film Last Samurai, starring Tom Cruise and Billy Connolly.

But film and theatrical uniforms are a sideline for the company, whose main business is manufacturing braid, medal ribbon, uniform badges and rank insignia for the Ministry of Defence.

Their work is on the uniforms of the British armed forces serving at present in Iraq. Wyedean supplied the combat rank markings for the special desert uniforms.

And every soldier in the British Army has a small Union Jack on his or her uniform: more than a million have been supplied by the company.

Last night staff took a trip to Keighley's Picturehouse, where the Master and Commander is showing, to see their work in all its glory.

The film, based on the naval novels of Patrick O'Brien, tells the story of the crew of the HMS Surprise, embroiled in a war with the French off the coast of Brazil, and is on general release, certificate 12A.