A BLACKBURN firm which produces one in five of the UK's envelopes has been shortlisted for a Hive Business Award.

Heritage Envelopes supplies roughly 2.5billion of the UK's 14.5billion envelopes and employs 132 people at its base in Davyfield Road.

Phil Bryan, director at the firm, said that while envelopes 'may not be the most exciting of things' they do provide jobs and investment here in East Lancashire.

He said: "We employ 132 people locally and if our market share continues to grow as it has been, more could be employed in the future.

"Envelopes may not be the most exciting of things but they're used every day by people and businesses to send all manner of things and they have provided jobs and investment here for decades."

Mr Bryan said that the firm, which was founded in 1986, was delighted with the Made in Blackburn and Darwen Manufacturing Award nomination and said it was an acknowledgement of its strong commitment to the area.

He said: "Of course we are all really pleased about the nomination and if we were to win we would inform our customers which would hopefully prompt more business and lead to more job creation and investment."