A Burnham company's showroom in Belgrade has been wrecked by NATO bombers.

The premises, run by a Serbian local partner for Abbott International, was damaged in one raid and destroyed in another.

Later, Abbott learned that the rented office and showroom had been housed in a building owned by Serb President Slobodan Milosevic's wife and targeted by the allied air forces.

The company, which this week won a prestigious award from the Financial Mail on Sunday, has export agreements in 31 countries and exports more than half its products used in fitting out shops and stores across the world.

Managing director, Morace Park, was delighted with his award for the most continuous improvement in his company, which employs 58 people.

He said he hoped to re-supply the Belgrade branch once the war in the Balkans is over.

"We took a long time building up a relationship with Yugoslavia and regard the people over there as friends.

''They were very hospitable and helpful to us during the negotiations and we have no reason to believe things can't get back to normal,'' he said.

"The premises were run for us by a local partner which is the way you have to operate in many of these countries to ensure your business complies with local custom."

"It was slightly damaged in the first raid, then totally destroyed the second time. We shall have to rebuild relationships and reconstruct when this is all over," he said.

Abbott International, which manufacture fittings for all types of retail establishments except food sales, was awarded a Mail on Sunday Enterprise 2000 award.

The 20-year-old firm which exports more than half its £15 million turnover to 31 countries won £500 worth of microsoft software and a plaque from the paper.

Mr Park said they beat off competition from 300 firms from all over the country to gain the award.

Another Burnham firm celebrating is Hood Yacht Spars Ltd., of Wick Road, which has been awarded development cash to enable it to create one-piece carbon fibre masts up to 150 feet high..

They were one of only two Essex firms, and 11 in the east of England to get up to £142,000 funding towards the development of the masts using filament winding technology.

The project is aimed at quality improvement and cost reduction.

The backing comes for the Department of Trade and Industry Smart Awards.

Pictured with the Abbott International's new award is managing director Morace Park.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.