A TOWN computer firm has gone global after it announced the production of the UK's first-ever lap-tops for under £100.

Elonex, based at Sherwood Business Park, unveiled the £99 Elonex One at the NEC's Education Show last week.

Since then staff have been inundated with calls from all over the world clamouring to place orders. Aimed primarily at the education sector, The One is an ultra-portable lap-top with a seven inch screen that gives wireless access to Internet, e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets, and MP3s.

Managing director, Nick Smith, said: "The vision of The One project is for every child in the UK to have their own lap-top.

"With computing playing such a huge part of modern day life, it is essential to familiarise children with ICT from an early age and to show them the vast range of tools and resources available to them."

The sturdy lap-tops in bright pink, black, white, silver and green appeared on Central Television last week. For an extra £10 children can get a tough digital memory wristband which can be plugged into the socket of whichever computer they happen to be using, either at school or at home.

The secret of the firm's ability to make a computer for so little lies in the software.

The One runs on Linux, which is a rival to Windows but completely free to use.

Open-source software can be freely swapped or modified by anyone who wants it and is ideal for low-cost devices.

Press officer for the firm, Sam Goult, said: "The interest is so great we think the 200,000 units we planned to be ready for schools and homes by September will be sold out within weeks.

"They were an instant hit with children at the NEC, because of the colours and the wrist bands, which are similar to the charity bands they wear."

The community spirited firm, originally based in London before a management buy-out, has joined forces with the Fair Chance project and aims to donate one computer per 100 sold to a disadvantaged child.

Major charities will also benefit from the sale of the memory wristbands when children buy the colour of their choice.

Mr Gould said: "We decided to re-locate to Bromsgrove because most of us come from in and around the town."