Two Bradford-based home shopping giants are set to battle it out in Court over allegations about confidential information.

Redcats (UK) is taking legal action in the High Court against its former managing director Michael Hawker, now chief executive of the combined Grattan and Freemans mail order group.

Redcats, which employs 950 people in the city, has secured a court order requiring the "immediate surrender and disclosure" of commercially sensitive information from its competitor.

The company claims in its writ that Grattan, Bradford's biggest private employer with a workforce of just under 5,000, has used secret data from Redcats (UK).

Managing director of Redcats (UK), Andy Hill, said: "The use of our confidential information and the breach of contractual obligations cannot be tolerated by Redcats, and we have therefore taken this action to safeguard our commercial interests."

A spokesman added that the information allegedly contained cost details which could give any competitor an unfair business advantage.

He said: "This action is also being taken against Grattan Plc, Freemans Plc and Otto Versand (UK) Ltd, the parent company.

"Mr Hawker left Redcats quite a while ago, in 1997, but we have had to obtain the necessary evidence before launching these proceedings."

Redcats, formerly known as Empire Stores, is also claiming damages from Mr Hawker for allegedly breaching his service agreement by helping manage Grattan during a paid 'interval' period after he left.

Grattan declined to comment about the claims.