AN injured back proved a blessing in disguise for Blackburn motor mechanic Gulum Jasat.

Laid up for more than three weeks, his wife Hajra suggested it was time for a change in career.

An excellent cook, she had spotted a niche in the market -- there were no such things as halal meat pies cooked to traditional English recipes.

Gulum and Hajra baked five meat pies to their own recipe and took them to their local fish and chip shop.

The owner tried them out and they were so successful that he asked for 50 the following day.

"We were working in the kitchen at home and we only had a gas oven," said Gulum.

"We made the 50, but it took us eight hours so we found a machine that made pies and the business just grew from there."

And grow it did. As the reputation of the pies spread around Blackburn, orders grew to the point where they were making between five and six thousand pies a week in their kitchen. "It was a bit cramped and we could not produce any more, but the demand was obviously there," recalled Gulum.

"The pies are not spicy or anything like that. I like fish and chips and our pies appeal to people like me.

"We make cheese and onion, mince and onion, steak and kidney, chicken and mushroom and meat and potato pies.

"The ingredients are acceptable to Muslims and Jews, but we also have a lot of other customers who like our recipes."

The business was started four years ago, but as it began to outgrow the Jasats' kitchen, they were having to turn orders away.

Gulum's accountant introduced him to Business Link and now, with the help of a personal adviser, Jasat Halal Pies operates from a double unit at Glenfield Park, Blackburn.

From those first five pies, the business now turns out five thousand pies a day and employs six people with a turnover of £125,000 a year.

The pies are still made to Hajra's own secret recipes, with totally organic ingredients, and are distributed to food take-aways throughout Lancashire.

Gulum is full of praise for the support he has had from Business Link.

"There is no doubt we would not have been here without our adviser's help and advice," he said. "Whenever I have needed help, our adviser would come up with the right contacts or advice, putting me in the right direction."

Now the company is established in its new premises, Business Link is providing help with marketing the business. The new factory has space for expansion and Gulum wants to spread his customer base. He is looking at packaging to enable him to sell to supermarkets, cash and carry outlets and garages.

He is also negotiating to sell to schools and colleges.

Deliveries have started to Manchester and the Jasats want to move into Yorkshire, Birmingham and London.

"It could go very big, but it is all up to me," said Gulum. "I am working my socks off and my wife is working at another full-time job and then coming to help me.

"We hope to increase staff, but the next step is to appoint a good supervisor to look after things while I go out and sell our products.

"It is important that the standard of the pies is maintained. If you have the right quality, you cannot go wrong."