A Bradford businessman has asked the Bank of England's policy makers to give British firms a better chance against international rivals.

Professor Steve Nickell is on the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee, which sets interest rates, and met M1 Engineering managing director Peter Fox at the company's base on the Euroway Trading Estate.

Yesterday's meeting was the start of the professor's two-day visit to Yorkshire to gauge the feelings of businesses.

Mr Fox said: "It is good news the Bank of England's decision makers are talking with West Yorkshire manufacturing.

"We can compete successfully with the best in the world and are succeeding in Asia and the USA but we could do with a lower level of sterling to give us a level playing field with our competitors in Europe."

The company was established in 1973 and is Europe's leading manufacturer of pressurised containers used to safely transport liquids.

Prof Nickell said: "Further sector employers are telling us that the situation remains buoyant.

"But I was surprised by the optimism with which some manufacturing companies - despite problems with the exchange rate - are looking to the future with confidence."

Members of the MPC regularly embark on regional tours to experience conditions in economies around the country and take the feedback to the meetings which decide interest rates.

A Bank of England spokesman said: "Prof Nickell has made a number of visits to businesses in the manufacturing and service sectors and had lunch with the Mid-Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

"They provide a two-way exchange of views on the economy and help with the interest rate decisions."