Stained glass company wins international success

17:08:20 22nd August 2008

The UK's only high-quality stained glass reproduction company has landed itself a contract so big that it's having to contract out some of its work.

Winged Heart Stained Glass, based in Cumbria, has been handed a contract by Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and is now on the hunt for skilled glass painters to help it meet the order.

Since being founded 15 years ago, the company's products have gone on sale in the US at the Washington National Cathedral, as well as all around the UK.

Company owner Drew Landsborough spoke of how popular glass is both in the UK and around the world.

"There is a huge market across the world that’s interested in quality stained glass," he told Cumberland News.

"We’re told that Notre Dame gets 12 million visitors a year – that’s 20 per cent of the population of Great Britain.

"From our little factory in Brampton, our products are now winging their way around the world."

The company makes had-painted stained glass reproductions for the heritage industry and generally focuses on smaller pieced to be sold in churches.