Ever wondered what happened to Bazooka Joe Bubblegum, Parma Violets and Space Dust?

Well, an Adlington businessman has the answer and he's hoping to savour the sweet taste of success after launching a business selling unusual food which captures the nostalgia of the seventies.

Paul Catterall, 36, of Railway Road, Adlington, has set up The Far Out Food Company which offers a gift set of sweets familiar from the youth of most thirty and forty somethings.

Paul has worked at Harrods delicatessen in Knightsbridge, as well as popular food businesses in Leeds and Toulouse, France, but has returned to Adlington to launch the venture.

He said: "I was over in America where there is a thing called the candy bouquet which is given in the same way as flowers. I thought it was a good idea and could be linked to some of the products that people remember from their youth.

"I set about contacting suppliers and found out that many of the old sweets are still produced.

"I think the range of sweets will be familiar to the generation that remember David Cassidy, The Goodies and Rolf Harris' Stylophone."

Atherton-born Paul, who lives with wife Jo, lived from a teenager on Babylon Lane, Adlington, and attended Bolton's Canon Slade School.

As a result of his novel business venture he has become more popular with his younger relatives.

"My three nephews and nieces aged seven, three and two seem to like me as there are always vast amounts of sweets around."

Other sweets in the pack include, Fruit Salad, Texan Bars, Toffos, chocolate cigarettes and Anglo Bubblegum.

As well as the retro 1970s sweets, Paul also offers a 'chilli box', containing everything a hardened chilli addict could wish for, including chilli flavoured popcorn, chocolate, crisps, potent Mexican oregano and the frighteningly named Death Rain Spice Rub, which he assures is not for the faint-hearted.

Although the business is currently only trading on the internet on www.faroutfoodcompany.co.uk Paul has plans to expand and is currently seeking out premises to open his own Far Out Food Delicatessen in the area.