The horse hair which makes violin bows used by Vanessa Mai and Nigel Kennedy is prepared to perfection on our doorstep.

For horse hair dressed by the Sowden family in Drighlington is considered the world's finest and is used by violinists and in top orchestras around the globe.

The firm, Michael T Sowden and Sons, is known internationally and its reputation is such that its founder - Michael Sowden senior - has members of the music industry queuing to see him at events throughout the world.

The firm, which was established by 54-year-old Mr Sowden and his wife Anne in his 20s - only started making hair for violin bows six years ago and in that time its turnover has doubled each year.

The company has recently been given a helping hand by the Bradford PR Group which was set up to promote the good things going on in the Bradford area.

The group brought the Sowden business to the attention of Music Business magazine which was seen by a manufacturer who produces around 25,000 bows a year for children and students.

The contract was welcome even though Michael Sowden prides himself on the quality of the horse hair he and his family prepare for the bowmakers.

In fact, it was an eye for quality and a determination to do better which made Mr Sowden move into the hair for bows sector in the first place.

He said: "About six years ago there were a number of people who asked if I made dressed horse hair for violin bows. At the time we dressed it for a number of things including judges wigs, sporrans, the tails of rocking horses and the restoration of historic train carriage seats.

"I got someone to send me some horse hair prepared for violin bows and when I saw it I thought it was poor quality for too high a price and decided to have a go myself."

That decision turned his business upside down and has led to the firm dealing with 650 customers in 45 countries including the Czech Republic, Australia, Japan, Israel, Bosnia, Tel Aviv, Sweden, Norway, France, Italy and the USA.

The firm started out with Michael Sowden and his wife Anne in partnership and now includes two of his sons, Michael, 30 and Mark, 27. Third son, Phillip, 19, makes musical instruments for Woods Music business in Bradford. It has been in its King Street premises for many years and has expanded into the whole building owned by Mr Sowden. In its infancy he rented a small part of the property.

The company has gone violin mad and now uses a violin case-maker and employs a violin restorer. Mr Sowden has also become a violin collector - although he does not have a genuine Stradivarious.

"I love the job as it keeps me busy and takes me all over the world. I have just spent five days in New York, Santiago and Salt Lake City and recently went to Paris where people who had heard about our horse hair were coming up to see me."

Michael Sowden never intended to go into the horse hair dressing business.

When he left the Margetson Secondary Modern School in Drighlington at 15 he went to work in a timber yard. But he had a rotten first morning as it was wet and he was made fun of by the older men and made to carry heavy loads of timber about.

When he went home at lunchtime he vowed not to go back and his mother took him to see Owen Slack - a well-known name in Drighlington - who were horse hair dressers where he got a job. Later he got fed up with the trade and opened an antiques shop in his home village - but at the back of the shop kept his hand in at horse hair dressing.

A few years later - after the Slack's business had gone on to other things - he opened a horse hair dressing business which also included preparing bristle and fibres from such things as coconuts for the brush manufacturers.

Though he complains about the workload in his small business, Mr Sowden has vowed to never retire. "I love this job too much and I love the travelling. It has taken me all over the world," he added.

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