A Bradford plastics company is on the lookout for the small plastic toys which used to be given away in breakfast cereal packets – many of which were made in its factory.

Tatra Plastics Manufacturing at Norwood Green has launched the search as it sets out to mark its 50th anniversary.

Managing director Karl Hesmondhalgh said: “We’d like to hear from anyone who still has one of these plastic toys. We know there are serious collectors of this kind of ephemera and there may also be a few plastic figures that have remained hidden at the bottom of old toy chests.”

He said the era of free toys in cereal boxes ended because of health and safety and “choking hazard” warnings, but for a generation of people growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, they were a special treat at breakfast time and used by many cereal manufactures as a marketing tool.

“It would be nice to know if any survived, especially if the owner lives in West Yorkshire, because of the strong local connection,” said Karl.

Tatra Plastics Manufacturing has also adopted a new logo and corporate identity to mark its anniversary. The new look is a representation of the Tatra Mountains between Czechoslovakia and Poland, the countries of birth of the company founders, Tom Freud and “Tom” Tchernichovsky.

Current chairman Paul Freud said the golden anniversary tops off a successful 12 months for the company, which recently produced the one millionth metre of its snap together plastic planking – enough to stretch from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

The product was used to build the 295 stables for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games The structure was then re-erected for use at the Horse of the Year Show, at the NEC in Birmingham.

Tatra recently won a contract to provide FTTP (fibre to the premises) components to the Government’s Super Connected Cities Internet programme. The company designed, made and is supplying fibre optic cable housings and couplings that will carry fibre to premises, including homes, and to IT cabinets.

Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker visited the factory, which employs more than 30 staff, for the installation of £250,000 of machinery that will help secure contracts and jobs. He praised Tatra for being an entrepreneurial business that repeatedly responded to changes in technology.

Paul Freud said: “Tatra’s continuing success, especially in a time when so many other manufacturers have gone to the wall, is a remarkable testimony to the quality of our products and the commitment and dedication of our people.”