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Dr Who helps Character Group

By This Is Money
Updated: 04:33 EDT, 31 January 2007

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Dr Who has blasted toymaker Character Group's sales into a new orbit. Revived interest in the 40-yearold series - centred on the Doctor Who Cyberman helmet that recently won the overall Toy of the Year award - has lifted the company's profits above analysts' forecasts.

Chairman Richard King said: 'Despite the very mixed trading results for last Christmas which have been announced by retailers, group sales in the continuing business are up by an estimated 35% for the first five months of the current financial year.'

The plaudits at last week's London Toy Fair included a boys' toys award for remotecontrolled Daleks. That followed last year's success with Little Britain dolls.

Character said it was poised to escalate profits over the rest of this year because of strong interest in many of its toys, such as the Dragonfly and Roboquad robots and This Is Me soft dolls.

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