A FIRE safety company is sealing a deal in the United Arab Emirates as a result of a controversial trade mission to Dubai.

Geofire, part of Stephenson Gobin, in Bishop Auckland, intends to supply a holding company in Dubai with products from its fire safety range for an undisclosed sum.

They will initially be aimed at the United Arab Emirates market and later introduced to the wider Gulf region.

The company joined a five-day trip last month, organised by the County Durham Development Company (CDDC), which was criticised as a waste of money by Independent councillor John Shuttleworth.

Geofire sales office manager Angela Mason said: "We are in talks with eight companies as a direct result of the trip, and we would certainly like to be part of any future visits to other key markets."

Kingsley Smith, CDDC's executive chairman, said: "We are confident that this is just the beginning of some positive results.