HAND CRAFTED Scottish dancing shoes produced in Lancashire have got a former haulage driver leaping for joy.

Michael Pickup has long been a devotee, but only set up The Scottish Dance Shoe Company three years ago.

"Until then I was a road haulage driver," said Michael. "But following a bad accident, I was unable to work because of my injuries. I was looking for something else to do when I came across a friend who manufactured shoes locally.

"I started by assisting him with development and this led to the birth of The Scottish Dance Shoe Company. Before launching the business, I spent a lot of time with a dance teacher from Clitheroe, perfecting the designs.

"Obviously, they have to look right and, just as importantly, you have to be able to dance in them. We have developed a shoe that has a very traditional design, but has an insole which absorbs impact and makes the shoes more comfortable and flexible than many others."

Now the company has unveiled a new web site, which is winning them new admirers from all over the world. The site - www.scottishdanceshoe.co.uk - which boasts an online shopping facility, has already attracted orders from the United States and Canada.

Said Michael: "We are delighted with our new site and with the impact it has had on the business. We think it has a fresh innovative feel and is easy to use.

"The company has always had a web site, but our first effort wasn't marketed well. In fact, the new site has had more hits and generated more orders in a matter of weeks than the old one did in more than two years.

"We believe we have got the product right because a lot of our success over the last three years has been down to word of mouth. Now we have got the internet to help too we are going global!"

The Scottish Dance Shoe Company has also been looking at how they can develop the business further through a Business Link-funded business support programme called Action-4-Business, which is run by Kingfisher Consultants.

The course, which is free to businesses throughout East Lancashire, looks at all aspects of running a business including planning, marketing and finance.

Anyone who wants more information should contact Sue Ashton at Kingfisher on 01706 606000.