A PAINT business in Manchester clinched a deal to create a joint venture with an Indian company following a religious ceremony when fruits and offerings were burned to honour Hindu deities.

HMG Paints, based in Collyhurst, now intends to launch its products across India after signing the deal with Titan Paints, based in the southern Tamil Nadu province.

The religious ceremony, which was led by three Holy Men from Bangalore, took place at Titan HMG Paints India's new factory.

Family-owned HMG makes a variety of specialist paints which are used on items including cars, computers, furniture and ships. Titan initially approached HMG last year to advise it on improving its formulas. HMG managing director John Fenton said: "We had not thought of ourselves as an international company before and this has been a great adventure.

"I will never forget that religious ceremony which was led by the three holy men of Bangalore when fruits were burned to celebrate both Ganesh, the elephant god, and Lakshmi, the god of prosperity.

"While it all seemed a long way from life in Collyhurst, we have every intention of esablishing ourselves as the best specialist paint company in southern India," said Mr Fenton.

HMG has a 49 per cent stake in the joint venture. Titan Paints holds the rest.

HMG's products have been used in venues such as Disneyland Europe in Paris, Jodrell Bank, Cheshire, as well as on numerous P&O cruise ships.

Its temporary grass marking paints have also been used at Twickenham and Murrayfield.