Bradford firm Lantor UCF of Wyke has provided the extreme heat and flame resistant materials for suits which will be worn by a top fire-fighting team.

The company's high performance Panotex yarn will help protect the men inside the 150 mph-plus Surefire 1 rescue vehicles this summer.

Developed from Rover 75s, the Surefire cars will be on standby during a land speed record attempt by the Bluebird Electric and a water speed bid by Quicksilver.

With the record-attempt vehicles capable of exceeding 600mph and using highly flammable fuel, a speedy fire engine, and the best protection available for its team, were both deemed vital. Managing director of Lantor, Peter Cole, said: "We are very proud indeed to be associated with these two British world record attempts.

"We have built a strong reputation for providing fire resistant materials which Surefire 1's project leaders knew about, and they contacted us.

"The material we have supplied is designed to protect a firefighter who might be walking around in a burning building with breathing apparatus and then is suddenly faced by a fireball which envelops him until it burns itself out.

"The heat from such a 'flashover' can be between 600 and 1,000C, but these suits will give him up to a minute to survive and get away."

Lantor's products are used by large numbers of US firefighters and a growing number of their UK counterparts.

The company also supplies fabrics used in bullet proof vests, for the police and military, and for suits designed to protect foundry workers from splashes of molten metal.

Mr Cole said: "This isn't the first time we've taken part in a record bid - Squadron Leader Andy Green, who set the current record in a thrust Rolls Royce in 1997, was wearing protective clothing produced from our Panotex materials.

"We are in quite a niche market and obviously involvement in world record attempts like this can only help business."

The Guinness Book of World Records says Green's car hit a top speed of 763.035mph in 1997, while Australian Ken Warby's 317.58 mph 'on-water' record, set in 1978, still stands.

Firm dates and locations have still to be set for the UK record-breaking efforts, but the Bluebird is expected to make its attempt at Coniston Water.

Previously based at Gomersal, Lantor moved its 50-strong staff to new purpose-built premises in Wyke last year.

The Minister for Science and Technology, Lord Sainsbury, will officially open the new complex on Wednesday, February 6.