WROUGHT iron gates which took a starring role in the latest Oscar winning film are made in Burnley -- and orders are flooding in from across the Atlantic.

The Hollywood blockbuster A Beautiful Mind scooped four Oscars but gates made by B Rourke and Co in Accrington Road are hitting the headlines ahead of actor Russell Crowe.

Orders for the Woodlands design estate gates -- worth £2,000 each -- are flooding into the firm's sister company in New Jersey, America.

Brian Rourke, managing director, said: "Everyone has been really excited about the gates ever since the film came out in the states.

They know deep down that British is best!"

The unique gate design is made to order on the Burnley site and then shipped out to America and around the UK.

Around 80 models have been produced since the launch two years ago.

But now the American audience are going star crazy to have a replica of the gates featured in several scenes in the film which outstripped Lord of the Rings at the Academy Awards on Monday. A Beautiful Mind scooped Best Director, Best Screen Play, Best Film and Best Supporting Actress.

Mr Rourke said: "The phones in America have been going wild and we are delighted. I know now why the film has won so many Oscars.

"Customers started ringing in after they had seen the film so we had better get busy.

"Americans are more influenced by the stars and following suit.

"They always make more of a fuss about things like this."

The Burnley site remained in the dark about the directors choice of gates until the film hit the box office and orders flooded in from the American company.

But it is not the first time the ironwork craftsman has made it on to our screens.

Specially made steel fence work was featured in a six-week BBC2 programme two years ago called Gardening Neighbours. The company has also won seven Best Job Awards since 1994 from the Federation of Decorative Iron Work.

The story of A Beautiful Mind is an adaptation of John Nash's biography by Sylvia Nasar set in 1947 about a mathematical genius who wins a Nobel prize but whose life is dogged by Schizophrenia and paranoia.