A HI-TECH firm has won up to £60,000 to help it develop its bright ideas.

Claymore Systems Ltd of Blackburn is one of a handful of North West firms to receive help under the DTI's SMART scheme.

The firm, based on the Whitebirk Industrial Estate, has been offered the cash to develop fire resistant ceramic moulding technology used to manufacture auto engine products.

Claymore has already received a grant to help with a feasibility study on the production technique and the latest award will be used to take it through to prototype stage.

SMART awards provide financial backing to help turn innovative ideas into marketable and competitive products.

Earlier this year, Claymore received a £100,000 cash injection from the Lancashire Enterprises Innovation Fund to equip it for production of a new ceramic based panel.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.