A TEA brand launched last year after a decade of development has been awarded a major contract by a train company.

Grand Central Railway has awarded the catering contract to the North Yorkshire-based Mad Hatter Tea Company for its services between Sunderland and London.

It is the latest success for the brand, which was launched last year by Michael Harrison as a sister company to his award winning food wholesale firm Northern Select Foods.

It was the first time the company, which Mr Harrison founded in 1992 with a £40-a-week Government Enterprise Allowance, had been a producer and was the culmination of work which started in India ten years ago.

Grand Central Railway’s managing director, Tom Clift, discovered the tea at a North Yorkshire farm shop and loved the taste.

The tea will be served to all passengers aboard Grand Central services from London to North Yorkshire and the Durham coast, as well as on the new West Riding service from London to Bradford, which starts operating in May.

As well as tea, Mad Hatter will also supply five varities of biscuit as part of the deal.

Mr Harrison said: “We are absolutely delighted.”