STAFF at a Huddersfield firm will be all at sea in the run-up to Christmas.

Displays supplier KD Decoratives provides Christmas trees and trimmings for cruise company P&O's fleet of luxury liners.

Next week, teams from the Lockwood-based firm will fly out to decorate the liners as they sail among the sun-kissed islands of the Caribbean.

KD Decoratives supplies trees, garlands and table decorations for the Ocean Village, Oceana, Adonia, Aurora and Oriana liners.

Company chairman Richard Kitchen-Dunn said: "All the decorations are sent by container top the islands that boat is visiting.

"Our teams fly out to meet up with the liners at one of their ports of call and they work through the night to put up the decorations."'

There won't be much time for KD's staff to enjoy the sun, although Mr Kitchen-Dunn said: "They'll be able to get a bit of sleep on deck during the day!"

The work to help P&O get shipshape for Christmas follows a six weeks for KD staff setting up elaborate Christmas displays for 70 UK shopping centres.

The company specialises in making large-scale displays featuring animated figures such as snowmen, reindeer, bears and talking Christmas trees.

Among them, KD has made a 30ft tall flying snowman and a Santa's Grotto depicting Brighton Pavilion for Milton Keynes shopping centre.

It has also completed outdoor Christmas lighting contracts for the London Bridge office and retail complex in central London and to decorate public buildings and parks in Spalding, Lincolnshire.

The company, which employs 70 people and was named Kirklees Business of the Year in 2003, is already gearing up for next Christmas.

"Our team of artists are already designing grottos for 2005 for the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent," said Mr Kitchen-Dunn.

It's Christmas all year round at KD's Albert Street premises - but Mr Kitchen-Dunn never tires of the tinsel and trimmings.

"It's and exciting job," he said. "I never get sick of Christmas.

"We are creating beautiful things to make people smile. We are very lucky to be in the business.

"We have a big Santa's workshop and we are all workers."