A Bradford company is set to make a splash in the bathtub market with a revolutionary new design.

The Soft Bath Tub Company, based in Woolston House in Tetley Street, will launch its new soft bath tub next month.

The bath moulds to the body's contours and is designed to keep the water hot.

It is made of a fibre-glass base and elastomeric polyurethane, which means that lying in one is comparable to lying on the leather seats of a car. The material used to coat the baths is used by the Saudi airforce to protect their jets from sand damage.

Richard Johnson, operations director, claims the new tubs will completely change the bathroom industry.

"They are extremely comfortable and keep the water warm throughout your bath," he said. "The material from which they are made insulates the water, which means they lose only about one farenheit in temperature every quarter of an hour."

The Soft Bath Tub Company has been working for the last 12 months on a British adaptation of the American soft tub.

"We have altered things like the fixing frame and bath panels," said Mr Johnson.

The baths - the largest of which is about 1.8m x 1m - are manufactured in America where they have been selling for about ten years. They are now widely available in the USA, Canada, Japan and the Far East. Mr Johnson is confident they will be as popular in the UK and Europe.

A whirlpool version of the bath will set you back £2,500 and they are predominantly aimed at people who have luxury homes.

"The range of colours will not be available for about six months, but we will then be able to equip places such as guest houses, where the owner may want 20 bedrooms with custom-coloured baths," said Mr Johnson.

The baths are billed as being a lot safer than conventional ones.

"Should a fall occur, our cushioned surface could help to reduce the chance of an injury," said Mr Johnson.

"The baths are eight times more hygienic than a standard bath because they are non-porous and don't need scrubbing with a scourer after use."

The company hopes to soon be making the baths in Bradford as well as selling them.