A MILLION-pound plus investment aims to make a fortune out of being in the gutter!

A group of East Lancashire businessmen have joined forces to develop a PVC troughing product for buildings.

Troughing -- a more substantial version of guttering used in areas with high rainfall -- has traditionally been made in wood or aluminium and has needed frequent replacement and maintenance.

Now Burnley-based Heritage Water Systems has launched a PVC version in a development that brings together several East Lancashire firms.

The new product was designed by Burnley-based Michael Ferguson, the toolmaking has been carried out by Moore Speed of Padiham and the injection moulding by Nigel Bannister, who used to work at Le Profil in Accrington.

Veka of Burnley has been awarded the contract to extrude the material into the troughing shape.

"We have had a tremendous response so far, particularly from housing associations and councils," said Nigel Bannister.

"The cost of maintaining wooden or aluminium troughing can be enormous but the cost of developing a PVC product has stopped other firms from doing it."