A GOVERNMENT minister presented a Blackburn firm with an award worth up to £45,000 to develop a new blast-proof product.

Claymore Systems, of Blackburn, is one of 20 firms in the North West to win a DTI SMART award to help bring its idea to the market place.

It is the third year running that Claymore, which specialises in composite fireproof materials, has won funding under the scheme.

It collected its award from Corporate and Consumer Affairs Minister John Taylor at a presentation ceremony held in Wigan.

Claymore's award is to support a project designed to develop a lightweight protection barrier to safeguard against fire and blast. The Small Firms Merit Awards for Research and Technology provide financial backing to help turn innovative ideas into marketable and commercially competitive products.

The awards are open to firms with up to 50 employees to carry out product development and a feasibility study. After a year, winners can apply for further funding to take their project through to the prototype stage.

In 1995 Claymore was funded to develop fire resistant ceramic moulding used to manufacture auto engine products. It also received £100,000 from the Lancashire Enterprises Innovation Fund for production of a ceramic-based panel for ship and offshore installations.

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