High hopes at Hornby

HORNBY is hoping to cash in this Christmas on the biggest shake-up to its Scalextric brand since the slot-car racing game was launched in the 1950s.

The group has designed a digital, six-car, lane-changing version of the game - Sport Digital - and expects to ship more than 15,000 of them in the coming weeks.

'It's the first real technological departure since the system was introduced,î chief executive Frank Martin said today. He is backing the launch with a £1.5 million Christmas ad campaign.

Fans of traditional two-car versions of Scalextric race by controlling the power sent to their side of the track. Now, the handsets will send a message to a chip in the car, and players can change between lanes at the push of a button.

Harrods and Comet are among the retailers taking Sport Digital, which will cost about £150. Marks & Spencer, which first sold Hornby products a year ago, has decided not to carry the new line.

Hornby today posted a 20% rise in pre-tax profits to £2.6m for the six months to 30 September, on sales of £19m. Sales through concessions in other retailers surged 60%.

Martin said: 'We continue to make encouraging progress.'

The shares today fell 10p from yesterday's all-time high of 284p.