A STORAGE company in Darlington has started up a relationship with Virgin Brides.

Lingfield Warehousing Limited, a storage, distribution and logistics company, already worked with two branches of the Virgin Group empire and has developed a storage system to secure its new contract.

The company, at Lingfield Point, Darlington, already provides storage for Virgin Cosmetics and Virgin Export and it has now started to provide secure dehumidified storage for Virgin Brides.

It will store some of the range of wedding and bridesmaids' dresses marketed through Virgin Brides.

Special hanging racks have been designed so the dresses can be loaded and unloaded without being handled.

The company had feared that the delicate dresses would be damaged if they were moved manually.

The racks can be easily wheeled to a storage area designated by the warehousing company, where they are held in a dehumidified environment to protect the fabric from deterioration.

The dresses will be sent from the warehouses to Virgin Brides shops around the country or to brides who have ordered them.

Andrew Micklewright, Virgin's distribution manager ,said: "The pro-activity and flexibility of Lingfield Warehousing's staff together with their willingness to provide services above and beyond the call of duty was of enormous assistance in ensuring the wedding dresses were protected, secure and available for call-off as required.