A pair of Bradford companies are celebrating after being named joint winners of a Business of the Year Award.

Maharaja Textiles and design communications company Dulay Seymour picked up the award at the Asian Business Development Net-work's annual gala dinner last night.

More than 450 people from the Asian business community across the country attended the event, which was held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds.

For Maharaja, which opens its new £1m, 50,000 sq ft warehouse in Bradford tomorrow, it was the second industry award of the year.

The firm, run by brothers Manmohan and Jasvinder Singh, was also named Business of the Year at an Asian Business Exhibition in June.

Jasvinder said: "We all feel very proud about getting the first prize. It was a big surprise for us, we didn't expect it because we were nominated along with 80 others.

"It is a big encouragement and achievement for us and we are going to go for it again and again. We started very small and now we are growing into a big company and we are so proud."

A spokesman for the Asian Business Development Net-work said: "It was a huge success, it was great to see local businesses competing at national level.

"Both of the companies are so diverse. Despite the textile industry decline it is amazing to see how Maharaja Textiles have turn it around."

Madan Showan from Empire Plc, Bradford, was given the prize of Services to the Business Community.