A FATHER and son who saved a famous old toffee firm from extinction just six years ago are expanding into the cake business.

Gary Marston and his son Peter rescued Farrah's Original Harrogate Toffee from oblivion in 1997 - only days after customers had queued for what they thought would be the final toffees made by the firm.

Now, following their soaraway success in the toffee market, the family firm has bought the homemade cake business of HD&R Bainbridge, which is based at Eggleston, near Barnard Castle, County Durham.

Current owners 62-year-old Rhona Bainbridge and husband David, are retiring after years running the bakery in a converted garage where they produce up to 600 cakes a week in the run up to Christmas.

Like Farrah's toffee, the recipe for Mrs Bainbridge's cakes is a closely guarded secret, handed down by her mother Annie Simpson.

The successful business began accidentally 40 years ago when someone placed an order for a Christmas cake after hearing of Mrs Bainbridge's talents as an amateur baker.

It has since grown and grown and now takes orders for homemade cakes from the south coast to Scotland and even for the export market.

Production of the Bainbridge cakes is being transferred to the Farrah's factory in Starbeck, Harrogate, where a new bakery has been created.

New owner Peter Marston has been making daily trips to Eggleston to learn the secrets of the business under the guidance of Mrs Bainbridge.

Production of the cakes is expected to switch to Harrogate in July.