Bradford is at the centre of booming sales in Titanic merchandise following the success of the hit movie.

More than 200 calls a day are flooding into the offices of telemarketing firm Global Response since it won an exclusive contract to handle the phone orders for Titanic Leisurewear's merchandise.

The firm has even used the date of the year the ship went down - 1912 - as part of the orderline number.

The firm, based in The Design Exchange in Peckover Street, Little Germany, has been inundated with calls for sweaters, T_shirts, baseball caps, posters, key rings and badges for the firm based in Pwllheli, South Wales.

Five extra staff were taken on to help deal with the first media launch and the firm is looking at taking on more part-time workers to deal with Christmas orders.

The next step is for orders on the Internet which will be dealt with by Halifax-based NetStep Corporate Communications who are expected to mop up a flood of orders from the USA.

Many of the orders are from the Titanic Historical Society, whose membership has doubled to 5,000 since the Titanic blockbuster, starring Leonardo Di Caprio.

People can even order a lump of coal from the ill-starred ship for £15 a time.

Winning the contract is a major success for the two young founders of the firm, Stephen Mattison, 25, and Jennifer Ward, 20.

The company has taken off since it decided on a move from Colne more than a year ago to make the most of the "warm and friendly'' Yorkshire accent.

Stephen Mattison said they won the prestigious contract by impressing Titanic Leisurewear with their creative approach.

The firm carried out telemarketing for two successful events organised by Keighley Business Forum - the One Stop Shop 98 Exhibition, held at the Keighley Cougars ground and the Trans-Atlantic Conference last month in the Cedar Court Hotel.

The company also carries out market research, marketing and makes follow-up calls to TV advertising for advertising companies.

Stephen Mattison said today: "We have attended business courses at Bradford's Morrison Trust. Experience was gained by being asked to set up call centres on behalf of other firms.

"We use a flexible approach which allows us to do what the client asks and gives us a competitive advantage by making the client more relaxed when dealing with us."

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