An independent computer company that had just three staff when it was set up in Epsom ten years ago has become an international leader in historical war games.

Slitherine Software, based in Westhill Avenue, Epsom, now has offices in Italy and Canada, and has just released its latest hit Great Battles Medieval, in cooperation with the History TV channel, for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Director Iain McNeil - a former Glyn Technology School pupil - said he, another designer and an artist initially made one game every 18 months before the company got its big break in 2006.

The 37-year-old, of Windmill Avenue, Epsom, said: “We had to find a niche where we could create something that would appeal to the market and was achievable with the team we had.

“For five years or so we did that and then we started doing some console games, we had a game called the Great Battles of Rome released in 2006, and that was when we got involved with the History Channel.

“That was a big success for us and gave us enough money to start pushing into publishing.”

The company has also worked with the BBC, and recently merged with US publisher Matrix games.