A supplier to British sports car manufacturers is part of a North-East team that has produced the first UK-built toy pedal car.

Omega Plastics, in Gateshead, is part of the Fitstogether Group. It has completed a contract to produce prototype parts for models of a Noddy pedal car for Premier Pedal Cars (PPC), based in the region.

PPC is the idea of entrepreneur Stuart Colmer, who launched the company last year, importing metal pedal cars from China to sell in the UK.

Omega Plastics joined forces with PPC to work on the project with the Polymer Centre, on Teesside, and Responsive Engineering, of Gateshead.

Full-volume manufacturing of the cars begins this month. D&S, of Newton Aycliffe, near Darlington, will manufacture the tooling, DJN of Washington, Wearside, will do the fabrication and Remploy, of Hartlepool, will work on the final assembly.

PPC is already being approached with other licensing opportunities for its pedal cars, and is working on a Postman Pat model, to be released before Christmas, and Thomas the Tank Engine, due early next year.