A SOUTHEND businessman has told how his firm is booming thanks to its work with China.

While the Chinese state visit has dominated headlines this week, Sammy Nesnas, who runs I Love Fancy Dress, said his company has expanded dramatically after he began working with six factories in the country.

Sammy said his firm had not seen anything to justify the country’s reputation as a secretive state and all clothes were made to the highest safety standards.

Sammy added: “They have got 1.4 billion people living in China. One little region of China is the size of the UK and that is why the British government is trying to build links because it is the biggest emerging market in the world.

“In China, they love all things British so it would be good if we could reverse a trend and start exporting to them.”

His comments came as Chinese president Xi Jinping visited the UK during a state visit to sign deals for £30bn of investment into the UK, including a substantial involvement in the nuclear power industry.

The agreement has sparked concerns about doing deals with a country that has a poor human rights record, as well as the risk of cyber-espionage with large parts of the UK’s vital energy industry being placed in Chinese hands.

The firm has two warehouses in the Southend area, having started with a little shop in London Road, but Sammy said there was scope to expand further.

The business now employs 26 members of staff and can take 3,000 orders in one day, specialising in outfits from witches to skeletons, the grim reaper to pumpkins, wigs, stripy tights and bloody bandages.