EAST Lancashire is celebrating a 'magnificent seven' in the prestigious Queen's Awards.

Six firms picked up gongs for International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development in business equivalent of the 'Oscars'.

Regeneration boss Steve Hoyle, head of Pennine Lancashire, is also celebrating after scooping the Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion.

He said: "I was stunned but delighted to receive the award.

"While the award itself is a personal recognition in reality it is a reflection of all the dedicated and professional colleagues and teams with who I have worked over the years who have helped to drive forward the enterprise agenda."

The gongs - dubbed the highest honour businesses can receive - were handed to Langtec Limited, Altham; BMP Europe Ltd, Altham; Colonial Gifts Ltd, Padiham; ACDC LED Ltd, Barrowford; Hurst Green Plastics Ltd, Whalley, and M Chapman & Sons Textiles Ltd t/a Brisbane Moss, Todmorden.

A total of 220 awards were dished out to firms across the UK. Each winner will receive their award during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace later this year.

Andrew Turner, managing director of Langtec Ltd, which manufacturers insulating products in Altham, said: "For a small company in East Lancashire fighting on the world stage it's a magnificant achievement.

"We won the same award six years ago, so to do it again is tremendous and it's all down to a great team effort."

Gareth Frankland, CEO of Barrowford based ACDC, said: "This puts us amongst the most successful of UK businesses. The dedication of all our employees to ensuring we continue to meet our aim of producing the most innovative and industry leading lighting solutions available is recognised with this award from the Queen and we look forward to an even brighter success in the future."

Steve Clarke, managing director of Hurst Green Plastics, which supplies lineside systems to major firms such as BAE Systems, Airbus and Alston, which supports servicing for Virgin trains, said: "It’s a massive stamp of approval from our customers in America and Europe and it will lift our profile dramatically, which is fantastic.

"If there were 100 companies like us we would contribute far more to the economy than a company with a £100m turnover and that's something the government is looking for. We have a very good footprint for regeneration of the economy. We're not looking to buy everything from abroad, our impact locally is strong."

Colonial Gifts managing director David Price said the online flower and food hamper business would now bring out a selection of Queen's Diamond Jubilee gifts.

He said: "We like to call ourselves the world's local florist. We have multiple sites across the globe where people can order flowers using local languages, currencies and nuances.

"Our system shows when flowers are in season and dates such as Mother's Day, which are different in other countries. When we set the company up it was impossible to send gifts to different countries. By 2013 we are on target for a turnover of £15million!."

Mark Athersmith, managing director of BMP Europe Ltd, based on the Altham Business Park, said: “We are delighted to receive the very prestigious Queen’s Award.

"This is the third time we have received this honour.”

Ian Darrah, managing director of moleskin and corduroy stockist Brisbane Moss, said: "Many of our fabrics have not changed in more than 50 years and this has proved to be a strong reason why the brand has continued to be so popular."