Hornby. the Kent-based international hobby products group, has won the worldwide licence for a range of Star Wars Scalextric products as sales build ahead of the Olympic Games.

The Thanet-based business unveiled sales of £63.4 million, just one per cent down on the previous year. Pre-tax profit fell to £4.1m (2010 - £5.2m).

New licences cover Star Wars, which are being converted to 3D format, and Disney Pixar's new Cars 2 movie.

The company also said that sales of London 2012 merchandise were accelerating.

Frank Martin, chief executive, said: "The business is in good shape. Our range of London 2012 merchandise is now gathering real momentum.

"As we approach a year to go to the Games, we are seeing a significant increase in sales. We are also benefiting from the increased distribution coverage."

He added: "This is a very exciting time for us, with the imminent launch of new products. The new licence wins have presented us with an outstanding opportunity to appeal to a new generation of hobbyists and represents a major opportunity for us to grow our business and deliver significant value for our shareholders."