TV superheroes The Gladiators are putting their lives in the hands of bosses from a Bradford firm.

Dandy UK, based in Thackley, has just won a contract to produce the webbing material used in safety harnesses for the team.

The high-strength webbing is being produced for a Croydon company which carries out research and development of special effects and props for TV shows including The Gladiators.

The firm saw what Dandy could do at an exhibition at Sandown Park. Dandy carried out research into the sort of webbing the firm would need and produced samples in red, navy blue, yellow and white.

Now company members will be taking a close look at their TV screens when a new series of The Gladiators is screened to see if their webbing is being used.

Dandy UK was formed in April 1996 by partners Dennis McCoy and Andrew Loftus. They spent six months selling webbing, tapes and cords to bring in the finance needed to set up the manufacturing company.

The firm is based in the former Brackendale Spinning Company premises at Brackendale Mills in Thackley. They started manufacturing webbing and other products in January last year and have not looked back since.

The company, which has won orders in the UK, Estonia, Germany and the Irish Republic, has seen sales increase by more than 200 per cent in the last financial year.

Mr McCoy said today: "At a time when most Yorkshire textile companies are having a torrid time, Dandy UK are pushing ahead with expansion plans which will see inward investment in new textile machinery.

"This will enable our capacity to increase to more than 12 million metres of webbing a year."

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