A COMPANY run by pensioners has not been sluggish when it comes to selling its products over the internet.

Westfield Products sells environmentally friendly slug traps to more than 18 countries around the world and is due to turn over more than £1m this year.

Pensioner Inge Beaumont founded the company in 1999 and today the 77-year-old is due to address Midlands business leaders on how the internet can lead to global domination - all from a back garden in Kidderminster!

"It was too good an opportunity to miss!" said Mrs Beaumont, who was due to retire when she was offered the chance to produce the slug trap.

"SlugX is the only trap of its type that can be put anywhere on the surface of the garden and does not pose a threat to wildlife.

"So I decided to delay retirement and take it on," continued Mrs Beaumont, who had spent her working life in exports.

The ingenious trap uses beer to lure slugs and snails to an alcoholic death. The company received press attention when it received an order from Saudi Arabia after Mrs Beaumont had carried out exhaustive tests with non-alcoholic beer for the 'dry' state.

The internet was another challenge for Mrs Beaumont and her company - which employs two other pensioners - requiring a very steep learning curve.

"We had to start from scratch and it certainly wasn't learning without tears," said the grandmother-of-two.

"Most beginners' courses were for youngsters who knew about computers at school so I just had to knuckle down and get some private tuition."

Web Works in Worcester then developed a website in four languages, with animation and colour-changing bullet points to make the site as interesting as possible.

The difference in sales was astounding - up from 4,000 orders in the first year to 69,000 for the first eight months of this year.

"We are delighted we went down the e-technology route," said Mrs Beaumont.

"Now, it is not an option, it's a vital part of our marketing and sales."

Mrs Beaumont is due to share the podium with representatives from leading companies such as Jaguar at the conference, at Warwick University.

Mike Heath of conference organisers Go4Gain said Mrs Beaumont's views would be "worth far more than any internet guru".

"She has shown how a small company can give a global image and successfully use a worldwide market," he said.