IT is the dream of every designer to have their work splashed across billboards and advertising hoardings worldwide.

That dream is about to become a reality for the former Darlington man who designed the logo for Britain's Olympic bid.

As Prime Minister Tony Blair praised London's efforts to host the Olympic Games in 2012, Andrew Bignell looked on with pride, because behind the premier was a design that has put his company, Kino, on the map.

Mr Bignell started the firm with business partner Andy Stanfield 18 years ago.

Inspired by the Greek word Kino, meaning to set in motion, the pair have carved out a highly-respected practice promoting a range of companies.

But it was clinching the games logo deal that finally pushed Kino into the limelight.

And if the Olympic Committee decides London will host the 2012 games, the company's design will be seen worldwide.

Mr Bignell's went to Hummersknott School, in Darlington, before attending the town's Sixth Form College.

He spent a year on an art and design foundation course at Cleveland College of Art and Design, in Middlesbrough, before moving to London "to seek my fortune", he said.

He met Mr Stanfield when they were both studying at London's Central School of Art and Design, now Central St Martins College of Art and Design.

There was fierce competition between designers for the games logo.

The 2012 bid committee took the unusual step of hiring the UCI Empire Cinema in Leicester Square, in London, where it launched a competition to find the logo.

Nearly 3,000 people turned up and 1,100 entries were received. These were whittled down to a shortlist of seven, before Kino was chosen as the outright winner.

Mr Bignell, a 41-year-old father-of-one, said: "The £10,000 prize went some way to contribute but absolutely did not cover the amount of time we normally spend on a project like this.

"But it was great for our profile. Our logo is now used across the capital and hopefully will be used across the whole world in the long term. It is the highest profile thing we have done, without a doubt."

The 12-strong workforce at Kino, based in Clerkenwell, London, are now concentrating on keeping their feet on the ground.

Mr Bignell said: "We have to be grounded to make sure it does not affect our business in terms of getting too carried away at our own success."