A HAMPSHIRE firm has landed a £1.1m contract to supply equipment to the world's most famous fire brigade.

It is the largest single order that Asfare, which is headquartered near Southampton, has ever won in its 28-year history.

The news is another boost for the group's 52-strong workforce, which supplies products and services to the emergency and homeland security services around the globe.

Staff received a further fillip when it emerged that annual pre-tax profits rose by £249,000 to £358,000.

On top of that celebrated figure, annual turnover shot up by a quarter to just under £5m.

Also, as reported in the Daily Echo on Saturday, Asfare's deputy chairman David Chisnall received an OBE in the Queen's birthday honours list for services to the fire industry. The latest headline order involves supplying 109 equipment sets for new fire and rescue vehicles at London Fire Brigade.

The sets are due for delivery within months, and include beam gantries, roller shutters and tool mounts.

In a statement to the financial markets, Asfare chief executive Tony O'Neill said: "This is the largest single order the business has ever won, illustrating our continued commitment to deliver high quality products to the fire industry."

The order takes the combined order book and sales to the beginning of this month to £3m, representing more than 60 per cent of the entire sales for the year ending March 31.

Mr O'Neill described that as "an excellent foundation for the financial year ahead".

Asfare's head office in Totton, was set up in 1978. The company, which banks with HSBC and is audited by Grant Thornton, has a market capitalisation of £3.8m, based on 76p a share.