London, June 2 (Reuters): Hornby, whose model trains and cars have kept children and enthusiasts amused for more than 75 years, said on Friday its move into the digital age was helping it cope with tough UK market conditions.

Hornby, best known for its model railways and Scalextric racing cars, said it made a pretax profit of ?8.2 million in the year ended March, up 8 per cent from ?7.6 million in the previous year on turnover down 2 per cent at ?44.1 million.

The 2004 launch of a digitally-controlled version of Scalextric cars followed by the 2006 launch of a digitally-controlled model railway have also boosted sales and secured wider distribution worldwide, the company said.

A downturn in UK consumer spending slowed down trading in 2005 but measures to reduce costs had offset the worst effects of the downturn, it said.

“I think generally due to economic conditions people are cutting back on their spending in every other sector of the industry,” John Stansfield, Hornby’s finance director, said.

The company, therefore, has relied on European expansion to achieve growth.

“The overseas subsidiaries are all now extremely well placed to become the main drivers of growth in the business during the coming years,” chief executive Frank Martin said in a statement.

Hornby last year gained a foothold in Spain, the world’s largest per capita market for toy car-racing tracks, with the purchase of Electrotren.