A factory providing jobs for disabled people in Sussex is celebrating 25 years of growth.

Castleham Industries opened its first factory in 1976 as a result of a Ministry of Labour plan in the Sixties to encourage councils to set up workshops for severely disabled and blind people.

Among the first to take up the challenge was Hastings council, which commissioned the purpose-built factory on the Castleham Estate.

The factory produces mainly printed material for firms across the region.

Manager Alan Hustwayte said: "Castleham is a happy place to work. A lot of people go to work because they have to but at Castleham they come here because they want to.

"The factory operates under normal industrial conditions. The aim is to be able to provide competitive prices and high quality.

"Although employees are disabled, they have to be able to work a normal week, clocking in and out and having paid holidays just as they would in any other company.

"They come from as far afield as Eastbourne, Bexhill and Rye. The scheme has worked extr-emely well over the years and the employees thrive on the responsibility they are given."

The factory is part grant-aided by the Government and East Sussex County Council but still has to earn through its products.

Castleham has a print unit and an assembly unit.

Products range from exhibition tickets, official forms and council stationery to electrical switches and packaging.

The factory has to bid on the open market for its contracts. Customers include East Sussex Fire Brigade, NatWest and the majority of schools in the county.

Mr Hustwayte said: "The factory has been a success story for the past 25 years while much of the local economy has been suffering.

"Employees at Castleham have a unique environment which gives them the advantage to gain the skills and experience to move on to mainstream employment."

Castleham has achieved an Investors in People award and ISO 9002 standard. It has 11 supervisory and management staff and 37 disabled staff.