A TRANSATLANTIC contract has given workers at Hilden Manufacturing a boost.

The Oswaldtwistle firm's American subsidiary, Hilden Halifax, has won an order from the giant Disney corporation to supply table linen featuring some of its famous cartoon characters.

The table linen features a chequered background with either Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy or Minnie Mouse pictured.

The company is now busy weaving 1,500 metres of each design for the initial contract which is worth around £40,000.

Managing director of the firm's table linen and contracts division Moira O'Brien today hailed the deal as a major achievement and said the firm was hopeful it would lead to more orders.

"It is back-breaking trying to get into Disney but now we are we hope it will be mean considerable business for us in the future ," said Moira.

Hilden Manufacturing, the UK's largest independent textile manufacturer, employs more than 500 people at its operations, which include its weaving mills, bleaching, dyeing and hemming sites.

It also owns the shopping and leisure complex at Oswaldtwistle Mills. as well as subsidiary companies in the US, French and Denmark.

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