Kevin Unitt

There will be no hiding for bosses of a new Leamington company when they come face to face with the dragons.

Mask-arade, an on-line business established last month producing novelty masks, has been pencilled in to feature on hit BBC series Dragons Den, in which entrepreneurs try to convince a panel of multi-millionaires to invest in their business. Most are sent packing with their tails between their legs.

But the three men behind Mask-arade - Ray Duffy, Chris O'Nyan and Dean Walton - are hoping they can win over the fearsome dragons, and score another success.

Mr O'Nyan had hundred of Kevin Phillips masks made up as a tribute to the prolific goalscorer of his favourite football team - West Bromwich Albion.On the final day of the season, when the club secured promotion to the Premiership with victory in London at Queen's Park Rangers, travelling fans celebrated by donning the masks.The player himself even ended up wearing a mask amid fervent celebration at the final whistle.

Mr O'Nyan said: "We sold 300 during the game, and if we'd had more time we could have got rid of even more."They were incredibly popular and it really showed that there could be a big market for this sort of product."

 Among Mask-arade's other lines of work are a limited edition series of fridge magnets, depicting football legends Geroge Best, Bobby Moore and other famous names.And the company is in talks with various football teams and television show organisers about gaining image right to certain stars.

 The company is also looking to cash in on the lucrative stag and hen party market by producing personalised masks.Mr Duffy said: "Imagine walking into your own birthday party at the local and seeing several dozens faces of yourself staring back."We specialise in providing personalised novelty masks for stag weekends, hen parties, birthdays and sporting events.

"All you need to do is upload a photo on-line of the unsuspecting stag/hen/birthday boy or girl, or even a sporting icon, and we will produce the masks to suit, or even personalised t-shirts or boxer shorts." 

 The new series of Dragon's Den is set to start filming later this year.For more information on Mask-arade visit www.mask-arade.com or email info@mask-arade.com