The new adventures of Mr Tickle, Little Miss Sunshine and friends helped their parent company to a 26% profit boost last year, it was reported today.

Chorion, which also boasts children's favourites Noddy and Paddington as well as the literary estates of Agatha Christie and Raymond Chandler, saw the £8 million relaunch of the Mr Men programme in the US prompt the purchase of eight million books and one million t-shirts.

The firm made a gross profit of £28.4 million in 2008, compared with £22.5 million the previous year, according to a report in The Times.

Executive chairman Lord Alli said he wanted to issue the figures in the wake of the collapse of Entertainment Rights, to show Chorion was not in similar trouble.

Entertainment Rights, which owns rights to Postman Pat, He-Man and Rupert Bear, was bought out of administration by New York-based Boomerang Media earlier this month.

The firm had been struggling under the weight of its heavy borrowings, which stood at £125 million at the end of last August.

Lord Alli, who owns about 10% of 3i-controlled Chorion, criticised Entertainment Rights and HIT Entertainment, home of Thomas the Tank Engine, for not investing in new productions.

He told The Times he did not bid for his struggling rival when it became available.

"What act does Entertainment Rights bring to me that I want?" he said.

"[Postman] Pat is not a star, like Noddy or Paddington; he's a supporting act."

The new Mr Men show was shown in the US on Cartoon Network from the beginning of 2008 and also appears on Five in the UK.

This year Olivia, an animated piglet "with real attitude" made her debut on Nick Junior in the US and on Five in the UK.

Chorion had spent 14 million US dollars (£9.4 million) over four years on the character, which is based on illustrated stories by Ian Falconer.

The firm has seen most of its growth come from its children's division, which saw revenues rise to £26 million from £12.5 million in 2005, the last figure from Chorion's time as a listed company.

Chorion took on £78.5 million of debt when it was taken private by 3i and it is understood the firm's slower growing adult section - which rose to £26.1 million last year from £20 million in 2005 - could be sold off to reduce its liabilities.

The Times said a £40 million bid for the Agatha Christie estate from Coolabi, which is run by former Chorion staff, was on the table.

Lord Alli said he has a "huge emotional attachment" to the Christie business, which owns the rights to the Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple characters, but a sale would allow him to invest further in the children's business.