AN award-winning Steeton company is making a new name for itself – on the stage!

Acorn Stairlifts is loaning its products to theatre groups across the country for performances of Acorn Antiques the Musical.

And the show's creator and writer, Victoria Wood, has paid tribute to the firm for its support.

"I am delighted Acorn Stairlifts is helping local groups stage Acorn Antiques the Musical by supplying a free stairlift," she said.

"The scene with Mrs Overall on a stairlift is one of the centrepieces of the show."

Ms Wood has even changed the wording of one of the songs in the smash-hit show to include the company's name.

The latest performance to feature one of the Acorn stairlifts was at Petersfield Festival Hall in Hampshire. That production ended on Saturday (June 27).

But there will be an appearance nearer to home in November, when Bingley Amateurs stage the musical.

Dave Belmont, Acorn Stairlifts' company secretary, said the firm was delighted to be able to support the production.

"We were first approached a few years ago by an amateur group in Manchester asking to borrow a stairlift to use in the show," he said.

"Since then we have provided our stairlifts to 30 groups producing the musical across the country and were delighted to assist Petersfield Festival Hall with its version.

"Acorn can install a stairlift within hours of receiving an order, even on special curved staircases, so it is an easy task to install one on the stage for this excellent production."

Last month, Acorn Stairlifts won two accolades in the prestigious Yorkshire International Trade Awards.

It took the international company of the year award, for firms with £50m-plus turnover, and the excellence in international trade title.

Judges praised the Station Road company's fast track service.

They also paid tribute to Acorn's heavy investment in establishing its own subsidiaries, rather than relying solely on third-party distributors, and its growth strategy.

Awards were presented in a glittering ceremony at the Royal Armouries in Leeds.

* The Bingley Amateurs production of Acorn Antiques the Musical runs at Bingley Little Theatre from November 17 to 21. Call 01274 567983 for more details and tickets.