A FAMOUS toffee firm is chewing over the revelation that it has a rival lurking across the other side of the world.

Farrah's Harrogate Toffee, which dates back more than 160 years, only learnt of the rival brand when a resident of the spa town bought a mixed bag of toffees in a supermarket while holidaying near Sydney, in Australia.

The fact that North Yorkshire toffee was being sold by another company came as a bolt from the blue to Farrah's managing director Gary Marston, who, along with his son Peter, rescued the toffee firm from a sticky end after temporary closure three years ago.

The other Harrogate toffee is made by confectionary giant Nestle under the brand name Allens-Mackintosh's.

The rival Harrogate toffee was discovered in a bag of toffees by Peter Rix, chairman of Pannal Village Society, while visiting his daughter.

Mr Rix, who brought back some of the far-flung Harrogate toffees for Farrah's to sample, said: "Having tried both sweets, I'm sticking to the local one. It was nothing like the one we make here."

Farrah's Original Harrogate Toffee was originally made to remove the pungent taste of the town's spa waters.

Since its relaunch the firm's factory has been visited by the Queen, said to be a devotee of the old-fashioned toffees, and its sales graph has exceeded all expectations.

"But we had no idea someone else was selling toffees with a Harrogate label," said Mr Marston, whose firm has recently left its little factory off King's Road for new premises in Starbeck.

Mr Marston Sr is convinced his homegrown toffee is winning the David and Goliath battle of the specialised toffee world.

When asked about the other Harrogate toffee, a Nestle Rowntree spokesman in York said: "This is a tricky one. We normally deal with UK matters, but I shall have to make some inquiries about this.