A DRINKS company has seen its sales soar by more than 20 per cent after securing a contract to supply sparkling wine and champagne for reality TV show Big Brother.

Naomi Hill, who set up online venture Bottled and Boxed two years ago, struck the exclusive deal with production company Endamol only days before the show went on air.

The partnership has helped boost her sales because her company web address - www.bottled andboxed.com - appears on the official Big Brother website.

Mrs Hill, from East Boldon, South Tyneside, said: "It has certainly increased web traffic and sales in June were up about 20 per cent compared to previous months.

"It is usually quite a quiet time for us, so it has come as a welcome boost. Year-on-year sales are up about 30 per cent."

The 25-year-old secured the deal after an assistant producer working on Big Brother ordered some sparkling wine and champagne through the Bottled and Boxed site.

"We got an order from a guy who'd been on the website and wanted our Oliver and Greg's sparkling wines and Mumm champagnes," she said.

"I called him up and he said he was an assistant producer on Big Brother and, at first, I honestly thought he was winding me up.

"But it turned out he was looking for suppliers of luxury items to be sent into the Big Brother house as treats for the housemates, and he'd visited our site and wanted us to supply all the sparkling cava wines and champagne.

"Of course, once I knew he was who he said he was, I immediately said I'd love to help out - and our suppliers have been really supportive in helping us cope with this extra-special order."

Bottled and Boxed was established in June 2005 and offers a range of luxury drinks through its website.

Customers have included Barclays Bank, Goldman Sachs and BMW.

Last year, Mrs Hill was named the Top Young Achiever at a regional awards ceremony and, earlier this year, the company picked up the Excellence in Customer Service accolade, at the South Tyneside Enterprise Partnership (Step) awards.