In the 12 months to June 30th 2007 Codemasters saw a five-fold increase in operating profits, with the company bagging £5.6 million as opposed to £1.1 million the year before. Net cashflow also went up by 33%, to £9.0m ($18.7m).

This is based, so we're told, on sales of £71.5 million worldwide. Of that, £17.1m, came from North America - where net sales (what we might call revenues) grew by a massive 151% year-on-year.

Bless its successful corporate heart, it's using Colin McRae: Dirt and Overlord as reasons for the success, which is bound to see huge bonuses for all staff all round this Xmas season! Huzza and bring more mince pies!

The sales boom is primarily thanks to a distribution deal inked with Warner Bros in December last year. Both Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment and Warner Home Video have been working on Codies' distribution in the States.

That's right... Warner Home Video. Imagine a possible scenario with that kind of weight behind you... "Hello Miss Retailer, if you would like to take a few thousand copies of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets or The 300 on DVD, we'd be really, really happy if you'd also take some copies of this here Colin McRae: Dirt vye-dyo game... if you see what we mean? And we think that you do".

Fantasy aside, there are two actual figures Codies wants you to see. The first is a whopping 332% growth in dollar sales in the United States. To you and us, that's dollars being paid by retail for Codemasters games. Not to be sniffed at, SPOnG's sure you'll agree.

The second is a 151% increase in net sales. To we the non-accountants, that's sales after costs. Still pretty bloody impressive.

Rod Cousens, chief executive of Codemasters, said, "The company has never been in a better position to innovate and grow. Codemasters has the right team and the right technology to compete on a global scale in the interactive entertainment industry. Our results demonstrate that Codemasters is firing on all cylinders".

SPOnG says, "Bloody good on your Codies!"