AN ENGINEERING firm from Great Harwood has helped to construct one of the mean fighting machines for BBC Choice's Robot Wars Extreme.

Cataclysmic Variabot was designed by a team of open university Phd students including John Barker, who asked his former employers of 14 years, Danley Engineering Services Ltd, of Heys Lane, for their help.

The finished monster machine weighed in at just under 100kg and featured a pneumatic flipper, pneumatically-driven pickaxe and a rear-mounted, 11inch diameter, diamond-tipped circular saw blade.

The driving force, suspension, and steering mechanisms were donated by the Great Harwood firm.

And although the team refuse to reveal the outcome of the battle, to be screened on Monday week, they are already working on a bigger and better version of the contraption to compete in next year's series.

The new improved version has an added 18 inch petrol driven spike to pierce the shells and vital systems of opposing robots and an improved drive system to increase the speed to 25mph. It will for its trials in 10 months.

The robot, named after the most violent type of star in the galaxy, was aided by a £1000 grant from the university's faculty of science but would have cost more than £3,000 to finish without help from companies such as Danley.

John, 38, formerly of Cross Street, Great Harwood, said: "We've all seen Robot Wars in the past and thought we could do that so decided to have a go.

"Most of the initial plans went out of the window but it came together in the end. It has been a great learning experience for us all."

The project had a great impact on his family, too, as his partner Lisa Hargreaves, 38, had to put up with their house being littered with the many components during construction.

And even though the house is now back to normal, it could all start up again as their children Joanne, 12, Sarah, 11, Lynn, eight, and three-year-old Mary have all demanded their own miniature versions of the Cataclysmic Variabot.

Graham Wolstenholme, managing director of the company which specialises in the design and development of special purpose textile machinery, said: "We are very proud to have been a part of this project and happy to have helped.

"We are looking forward to watching it in action and negotiating to put an advertising board on the robot's side next time."

Robot Wars Extreme is on BBC Choice on Monday, October 15, at 7.30pm