Is one of the large Japanese toy companies in talks with Wow Stuff?

Even if that were the case, the Wolverhampton-based firm would not be able to comment, should said rumours turn out to be either true or indeed false.

In a somewhat confusing statement, the firm's legal man Ewan Gibb said: "There seems to be a rumour doing the rounds, albeit a flattering one, that Wow! Stuff is on a watch list for a certain large Japanese toy company "wishing to develop new items and new brands."

"If this rumour was in fact correct we would be delighted to hear from this large Japanese toy company wherein we could then be in a position to neither confirm nor deny such an approach has been made, and further, we would then be able to neither confirm nor deny how excited we would or wouldn't be about collaboration.

"I hope that clarifies, or not, the true situation."