SWEDISH furniture giant Ikea has appealed for help from Huddersfield's kitchen fitters.

The retail giant is on the hunt for kitchen installation specialists to tender for a contract potentially worth more than £1m a year.

And the firm has turned to Huddersfield after specialist firms around Leeds and Bradford failed to come forward for the lucrative business.

Even after advertising the tender, Ikea Leeds - based next to the M62 at Birstall - is still searching for a partner for its new kitchen installation package, which will kick off during the late spring.

"We hope Huddersfield's specialist installation firms will come forward," said Richard Mabbett, Ikea Leeds project co-ordinator.

"We are confident the town's tradesmen will rise to the challenge."

Until now, Ikea Leeds has offered purchase-only of its kitchen ranges. Customers organise their own installation.

But, to ensure quality control of the installation, the store chain wants to work closely with carefully selected specialist installation companies or teams and believes Huddersfield might offer the solution.