The Queen has honoured an innovative Ilkley company which started in a garage and turned into a thriving global enterprise.

Brett and Bryony Harris, of Addingham Moorside, started Snugpak 25 years ago in the garage of their home in Ilkley.

Now they are one of the leading names in sleeping bags and outdoor clothing and have been awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade.

The Queen's Award is one of the highest accolades for exporting excellence and the company was recommended for the award by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The firm stood out because its overseas earnings have quadrupled in recent years.

The couple started the company by making lightweight thermal jackets using state of the art insulating fabrics, which Mr Harris had discovered during his time as a deep sea diver.

"I was a gas and oil diver in the North Sea and was hired out by American companies. A lot of them had these daune body warmers and we couldn't get them here," he said.

"They were only brought across from abroad and they worked really well and that sort of kicked it off for us. I carried on deep sea diving for two years and then I came home and having made some money, I set out in the back of the garage.

"I got the fabric and started cutting out patterns and learnt to sew with my wife's help. When I got better at sewing it would take me four to five hours to make one jacket."

The couple were able to produce 15 jackets a week and would sell them at shows in Weeton and Otley and they found that people kept coming back for more.

Once there was a demand they purchased a quilting machine to help them and moved the company to bigger premises in Silsden.

To enable the company to be successful they diversified into products which were needed all year round and pioneered the lightweight low pack size sleeping bag.

Mr Harris, 50, said: "We pioneered the lightweight backpack sleeping bag. I had ordered some fibre from Switzerland which was used in ski race suits.

"I found that I could fit it into sleeping bags, so they were thermal but fitted into a small ball. It was completely unique.

"I wanted to make an alternative to the bulky traditional sleeping bags."

Today they sell more than 50,000 sleeping bags a year, all of which are based on this initial idea, and gaining the Queens Award has just added to their success.

The father-of-three added: "I think being awarded the Queens Award is a fantastic achievement for the company and the staff.

"Everybody works hard and they all have the morale to go on further. The manufacturing industry in Britain has pretty well deceased, but we are going on full steam, a lot goes to the sale of exports to Japan, Australia and America.

"In the first year we lost money and in the second year we made money and have done ever since.

"We have a big market for the military they buy a lot of outdoor clothes and sleeping bags, because they are compact and noiseless.

"In the future we will be looking at the fashionable outdoor market. The future is bright for Snugpak and other British factories.

"Made in Britain still means something around the world and we are happy to carry the baton of our country's proud manufacturing heritage."