WHEN a Bolton woman was made redundant four months ago she decided she would celebrate the new year in her own way - by setting up a millennium clothing company.

Now Carol Ashcroft is aiming to go global and she is thinking of using the Internet to expand her budding empire.

The 47-year-old entrepreneur from Astley Bridge, was made redundant from Littlewoods' Holden Mill, on Blackburn Road, in May.

She decided to sink her £7,500 redundancy pay in a venture making and selling clothes to celebrate the new millennium.

It was an idea which she knew would be a winner but she says she did not expect to be breaking even just four months later.

She said: "I have been a dressmaker for more than 20 years so when I was made redundant it seemed the right business to enter."

Mrs Ashcroft now works from a converted school house on Ullswater Street, Astley Bridge and she plans to take on a number of staff as her company continues to grow.

The range of clothing includes waistcoats, cravats, ties and top hats all bearing millennium emblems.

Already they gone down a storm in local dress hire shops and pubs.

Two of her customers even plan to wear the gear when they travel to Cyprus and Goa later this year.

And she is not worried that the millennium market will be a real "one off" in her lifetime. She has other ideas in the melting pot to keep the business going when 2000 has been and gone.

Mrs Ashcroft added: "I spotted a niche in the market which wasn't really being exploited and decided to fill it."

She can be contacted on 07931 321659.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.