A West Norwood business is set for global success after a record-breaking appearance on hit TV show Dragon’s Den.

True Call, based in Knight’s Hill, had one of the most successful pitches ever seen on the show, which sees entrepreneurs present their ideas to hugely successful businesspeople in return for investment.

It was aired on BBC 2 last night (Wednesday).

Designers John Price and Steve Smith’s product - a gadget that filters nuisance phone calls - is now set for a worldwide launch next year, after it blew the competition away in the series curtainraiser.

In May the company won the innovation award at the South London Business Awards - sponsored by our newspaper.

And viewers last night saw it secure £100,000 from “dragon” Peter Jones for just 12.5 per cent of its business.

The deal was the lowest share telecommunication tycoon Mr Jones has taken in a business during the show’s seven series - and he called it the “best gadget” he has ever seen on Dragon’s Den.

The show’s four other dragons also made bids to market the product - another rarity for the show. But Mr Smith, 49, who made the company’s pitch on the show, accepted Mr Jones’ offer because of the business mogle’s contacts in the telecommunications world.

The business - which had a relatively unsuccessful four years trying to attract interest in the product from its converted theatre base, Norwood Hall - will now see the product launched in China, Hong Kong, South America, America, Australia, Germany, and France from next year.

Mr Price, 59, said it was a fantastic achievement for the company and a boost for an area like West Norwood not known for big business, especially when all their staff were procured locally.

The staff are more than just colleagues he said, and socialise as friends, even doing yoga together.

He said: “It has been a long, tough journey, but we have always believed in the product and we felt it was TV that might give us the platform to unlock its potential.”

The paperback book-sized gadget, which costs £97.50, plugs into a phone line at home and checks every call received before letting the phone ring.

Pre-programmed accepted numbers, such as those belonging to friends and family, are allowed to call straight through, while barred phone numbers are told not to call back before the phone even rings.

People calling from unfamiliar numbers must record a message saying who they are, which is then relayed to the person receiving the call, who can choose whether to speak to them.

After the call they can then choose to accept the number, or add it to the “zap” or barred list.

Mr Price said it would appeal to people whose lives are made misery by telemarketers,and pranksters. The disabled and elderly who may find it difficult to reach the phone also benefit from the technology.

The police have also showed an interest for use with people such as domestic violence victims.

Millions of people in the UK alone are expected to buy the product.

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