REFRIGERATION company Big Fridge has won a contract with a difference - to provide icicles to the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).

The business, based near Richmond, North Yorkshire, has won the seven-month deal to provide part of the scenery for the RSC's tour of the Merchant of Venice.

Big Fridge has 20 refrigerated trailers, which it hires out, but it said this was the first contract of this type it had been given.

James White, who heads the business, said: "One of the interesting things about Big Fridge is the way people find different uses for the trailers.

"After taking the inquiry, there was a two-week pilot project to ensure this experimental idea of freezing moulds to make icicles worked.

"It was a great success and the ice works will be used in the production and recreated every day for each performance."

Mr White said the company had seen a significant growth in demand for its refrigeration units.

"The geographic spread of hires has increased dramatically from the House of Lords to hospitals in Scotland," he said.

"If you are travelling to France this month, you might see a Big Fridge trailer as part of a convoy with the RNAS 847 Squadron as they travel to the South of France on exercise."